The Detroit Lions have officially turned the page on the David Montgomery era. On Monday, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported that the Lions traded Montgomery to the Houston Texans for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a fourth-rounder, and a seventh-rounder.
With Montgomery finding a new home, the Lions have a void at RB2 on their depth chart, making James Conner a name to keep an eye on over the next couple of weeks. Although he's under contract for 2026 with the Arizona Cardinals, he could be up for grabs.
James Conner Is a Name to Watch for Lions After David Montgomery Trade
The Cardinals have a new head coach in the building, with Matt LaFleur running the show. Conner could be a cap casualty, as Arizona would save almost $7.6 million if it released him this offseason, per Spotrac. The Lions would be wise to jump at the chance to snag him, considering how bare their RB depth is.
Last season, Conner's season was cut short after suffering a season-ending foot injury in Week 3 against the San Francisco 49ers. Nonetheless, he found success when Drew Petzing was Arizona's offensive coordinator. Between 2023 and 2024, Conner had 2,134 rushing yards and 15 scores, eclipsing 1,000 rushing yards in both seasons.
As a pass-catcher, he reeled in 74 catches for 579 receiving yards and another three touchdowns.
Conner gained Petzing's trust in Arizona, and that's for a reason. He's a downhill runner who uses his physicality to wear down opposing defenses. That's a similar style to the one that Montgomery ran with.
Both players have very similar builds as well. Montgomery is listed at 5'11" and weighs 230 pounds. Meanwhile, Conner is 6'1" and 233 pounds. He would be an ideal choice for the Lions and likely wouldn't cost much via trade or in free agency.
The Lions know that Jahmyr Gibbs is the lead workhorse in the backfield and is one of the most explosive players at the position in the league. While the Lions will make him the de facto RB1 in 2026, they still need to fill in the hole that was created with Montgomery's departure.
Conner already has the connection with Petzing, which makes this fit even more fitting. The Lions have a vision for their backfield, and Conner would be a sound addition. Montgomery was an effective force for this offense over the last three seasons, and Detroit must be proactive to replace him.
Conner would be one of the best players to add to this offense, and the Lions should call Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort to see what it would take to bring him over.