Sonic and Knuckles is officially no more, with the Detroit Lions trading veteran running David Montgomery to the Houston Texans. It feels like an unceremonious, albeit predictable, ending to an otherwise successful partnership.
The writing has been on the wall for quite some time. Montgomery took more of a backseat to Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit's high-powered offense this season, all but foreshadowing this outcome. Knowing this, the Lions did quite well to net multiple draft picks in their swap with the Texans while addressing a need.
Montgomery turns 29 in June and is signed through 2027 with a $9.125 average annual salary. His age, declining role in Detroit and price tag at a position that's been devalued in recent years made him a low-wattage asset. However, to the Lions' delight, the Texans ostensibly saw it differently.
Lions pull off a heist with David Montgomery-Texans trade
Detroit made out like bandits in their exchange with the Texans. The Lions will reportedly receive a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 seventh-rounder, plus interior offensive lineman Juice Scruggs for Montgomery.
Turning Montgomery into two Day 3 choices alone would've been good business for the Lions. Nevertheless, they managed to also acquire Scruggs, an unproven yet intriguing reclamation project.
Scruggs has yet to live up to his status as a second-round selection in 2023, but he's 26 and has multiple years of starting experience. Perhaps a change of scenery to a club that's known for developing O-linemen could do wonders for him and the Lions.
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Moreover, Scruggs has seen snaps at both guard spots and center, giving the Lions a versatile plug-and-play option. The inside of their starting five was an Achilles heel in 2025 and a massive offeseason question mark. His arrival appears to be the first crack at solving the problem, and all it cost was someone who had one foot out the door.
While Scruggs was relegated to backup duties in 2025, he earned his fair share of playing time. The Penn State product allowed 11 pressures and two quarterback hits without giving up a single sack across 351 offensive snaps. Pro Football Focus gave him a 45.0 overall grade, which ranked 78th out of 81 qualified guards.