Report: Lions agree to terms with David Montgomery on three-year deal

Posted by Charean Williams on March 14, 2023, 9:49 PM EDT
Chicago Bears v Detroit Lions
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The Lions have agreed to terms on a three-year, $18 million deal with free agent running back David Montgomery, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. It includes $11 million guaranteed.

Montgomery ranked 85th on PFT’s list of top-100 free agents.

Montgomery, 25, spent four seasons with the Bears after they made him a second-round pick.

He rushed for 3,609 yards and 26 touchdowns, while catching 155 passes for 1,240 yards and four touchdowns.

His best season came in 2020 when he had 1,508 yards from scrimmage, including 1,070 rushing.

The Lions will team Montgomery with D’Andre Swift, which means Jamaal Williams will find a new home in free agency.

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43 responses to “Report: Lions agree to terms with David Montgomery on three-year deal”

  3. Holmes moves thru this free agency are incredibly smooth. I wonder how much the attractiveness is helping.

  5. As a Bears fan, ouch. Our best RB joining a division rival, that stings. Congrats to Lions fans, you have a hard nose runner who will keep defenses honest in his prime.

  6. Looks like the Lions are putting the final pieces of the puzzle together for that long-awaited SB run. Just kidding.

  7. Interesting Lions going after another in division RB. Jamal must want to much after leading league in TD’s

  9. Will miss Jamaals consistency and tough running. Makes me nervous knowing how unavailable Swift has been

  10. Detroit fans are going to be losses when Jamaal Williams leaves. He was a genuine fan favorite here. Even had a booth set up at the local Comic Con. Helluva business, football is.

  11. Solid signing and makes you wonder with so much cap space why wouldn’t Chicago want to resign one of their good young players?

  13. Sad to see the words written “ which means Jamaal Williams will find a new home in free agency”.

    Happy to hear according to the Athletic “ but from a pure football perspective, the Lions might’ve gotten better at running back”.

    I loved Jamal. I pray this move pays dividends.

  14. I’m sure A-a-ron will have J-Will in NY with the Jets.

    Just add him to the list.

  15. Damn. Monty went within the division. Awesome pick up by the Lions.

    He’s the most undervalued RB in the league and will shine in Detroit.

  16. Honestly surprised the Lions are gonna move on from Williams. Seemed to have a nose for the end zone and was very productive in his role. Seemed like a good locker room guy as well. Maybe he’s wanting a bit too much or the team is nervous about his age. Either way Williams is gonna find a new team and he’s probably gonna have multiple suitors.

  21. This is perhaps the best signing in the league so far. Montgomery will help in so many ways. He’s a regular bell cow RB, and only 25 years old. Coach will love his toughness. His effort level. Competitiveness. He will be a coach’s favorite, for sure. Just forget about anything that happened in Chicago in the last couple years. There’s a reason they had the #1 pick in the draft. They earned it through futility. By the way, he’s worth a lot more than they’re paying him. RB’s are getting screwed.

  23. How can you not like the Lions, the Bears, and the Vikings? Even I like all 3.

  24. Lions fans can just insert the Michael Scott “Nooooooo!” meme here. F***!

  26. Still pretty damn cool that one of the most likable players in the NFL beat Barry Sanders’ TD record in his only season.

  27. I’m surprised the Bears let him go.

    I guess when you’re swimming in draft picks at the top of every round plus those extracted from desperate teams, veteran players lose value.

    Maybe that’s the reason some teams always draft high.

  29. Nice pickup! Glad to finally have management that cares and is making major changes. Wish they would keep Jamaal Williams and get rid of injury-prone Swift though.

  30. He was a third round pick of the bears. Good bye DMO, enjoyed watching you, best of luck in your career.

  32. I like the signing, but not at the expense of ‘maal.

    Upsetting that this likely means they won’t be bringing him back. What happened….

  33. Lions fans, enjoy the euphoria over his signing now. You’ll tire of watching his concrete feet run into tackles by mid-season.

  34. While the Lions are getting a great RB from the Bears, the Lions are losing Jamaal Williams. He has been a fan favorite almost since he arrived in Detroit, and will be sorely missed

  36. Jamaal Williams was very solid so I find this confusing; however, it looks like they were far apart on number of dollars of the deal so they signed someone they could at the price they wanted.

  37. i’ve seen several mocks that see Detriot going CB/RB with their first two picks, and they addressed both in FA already. I still think they ought to draft a cornerback bc the class is so deep with first-round talent. But that will allow them to use the other 1st and maybe a high 2nd on improving that defense

  38. I’ve always liked Montgomery but he seems to have lost some of his effectiveness during the last 2 seasons. Plenty of good backs coming out in the draft this year, fresher, younger and cheaper legs in the 3rd and 4th rounds.

  39. Lions will draft a CB, but after Sutton, Moseley and resigning Harris, it doesn’t have to be a first rounder.

    Lions will draft a RB, but after Montgomery and resigning Craig Reynolds, it doesn’t have to be a first or second day pick.

    Lions will draft an Edge, but after retaining Cominsky and apparently keeping Harris and Romeo, they have options with they type of rusher they acquire.

    Lions will draft a LB, but it doesn’t have to be one of the top few because the draft pick can learn behind Analzone.

    The lions just used FA to make sure that they weren’t forced into anything specific in the draft. This is what good teams to. This allows them to take any opportunities to move up or down the draft board to get players they want.

    Brad Holmes has a plan. You can clearly see his plan. Grow talent from within, supplement with talent outside the organization, focus on depth more than overpaying for “stars”. In 2 years, they have turned a team with little talent, traded away it’s best player in Stafford, elected to watch players walk that were leaders in the Quinntricia era, and not only changed the culture, but filled the cupboards with talent and draft picks. Excited for the future.

  40. Monty is a different and better player than Jamal. I think Jamal would be better with this bears team then Monty was last year though. Monty will be really good in Detroit and the fans will love him. Wish he’d have stayed, glad he got paid. He’s low key the lions 2nd best offensive player now.

  41. Jamaal was good. Thompson is going to be better. Proven toughness batting through injury. Younger, has better feet, more lateral quickness and more speed. Detroit very well may go DL / OL in round one. If they get a stud guard, look out NFL

  42. Williams was a fan favorite, and for good reason, but he has always been limited to a short yardage back – in Green Bay and Detroit. Montgomery, on the other hand, is the best of both worlds – as he excels as a 3 down runner as well as a pass catching threat. He opens the playbook and that’s a big reason the Lions signed him

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