The person who, in theory, should want Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery on a one-way flight out of the Motor City has now spoken out about how he wants Montgomery back in uniform this coming season.
"Of course I want David (Montgomery) back," fellow Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs said on Monday, via Detroit Free Press' David Birkett. "The whole team would want David back, but it’s ultimately up to him."
Reading between the lines, it sure sounds like Montgomery is the driving force behind a potential split this offseason. That didn't seem like it was the case when general manager Brad Holmes discussed the possibility of trading the veteran RB last month, as most Lions fans thought that was what the team wanted.
Montgomery even sang new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's praises last week, adding fuel to the fire that he wanted to stay and that the Lions might be orchestrating a potential split.
"I talked to him briefly. It’s pretty evident that he knows exactly what has to happen, and he’s prepared for the task at hand, so it will be good to see what he implements in our offense and how we can improve," Montgomery told NBC Sports, per Lions reporter Will Burchfield of 97.1 The Ticket.
Now that Gibbs is putting the ball in Montgomery's court, it's become clear that the latter RB might be the one who wants a trade the most. That's certainly quite the twist, based on how the situation has been unfolding.
David Montgomery's Lions Future Is Likely in His Hands
Montgomery is not being pushed out of Detroit. If anything, the Lions appear ready to be reactive in the case of a trade request. There's not a push from Montgomery to leave town, even if he can benefit from a change of scenery.
Gibbs should want the best change-of-pace back possible, and Montgomery has been that in Detroit's backfield behind him. Montgomery should realistically want as many touches as possible to maximize his payday in 2027, which is why leaving town might be on his mind in the coming weeks.
Perhaps Montgomery is waiting to see what the Lions will do to upgrade the offensive line in free agency before committing to another season. On the other hand, he could also be deciding if he's willing to restructure his contract to help with Detroit's unfavorable cap situation.
The Lions are projected to be more than $8.5 million over the 2026 salary cap, per OverTheCap. With already being the RB1 and Montgomery is set to carry an $8.3 million cap hit, it's easy to see why Detroit would celebrate a potential restructure to create more space.
At the same time, running backs aren't often paid big bucks, especially at Montgomery's age. If he's worried about the dwindling possibilities of big-time pay days in his future, it's easy to imagine his not being interested in tinkering with his deal, which could potentially force the Lions into trade territory.
We'll see how this offseason develops. Right now, Montgomery and the Lions seem reluctant to move on from a mutually successful situation, leaving time to tell if they can reach a compromise that extends the already-productive partnership.