David Montgomery

Monangai's strong rookie season officially comes to an end. The seventh-rounder didn't waste any time working his way into the Bears' running back rotation last offseason, and popped up to rush for 169-783-5 as a rookie. Monangai's 18 receptions for 164 yards could hint at increased usage in the passing game next season, and he also saw four or more targets in three of his final five games this season -- including Sunday's playoff game. While it seems unlikely he'll be usurping D'Andre Swift on the running back depth chart next season, Monangai is clearly playing the "David Montgomery role" in Ben Johnson's offense and thrived in that role in his rookie campaign. While it's too early to say he'll have any standalone value in 2026 fantasy leagues, Monangai is undoubtedly one of the top handcuffing options at the position next season.

The Lions are in need of a new OC after firing John Morton. Morton lasted one season on the job and was stripped of play-calling duties late in the year. Head coach Dan Campbell took over that responsibility from Week 10 onward. The offense got more aggressive under Campebll but wasn't that much more successful. Campbell is expected to give over play-calling duties to his next coordinator. Smith would likely get a lot out of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, but his history of run-first football would not bode well for Jared Goff and the rest of the passing attack. For a team chasing the loss of offensive guru Ben Johnson, Smith would be a markedly underwhelming hire.

Lions GM Brad Holmes admitted Thursday that the team will consider trading RB David Montgomery this offseason. Montgomery has two years left on his current contract, with cap hits of $8.4 million in 2026 and $10.2 in 2027.

The veteran running back was phased out of the offense in favor of Jahmyr Gibbs.

Montgomery is under contract through 2027. The Lions can save $11.26 million by cutting him this offseason, while taking on $8.6 million in dead money. Holmes adds that the Lions "love" Montgomery and believe "he deserves to be in a situation where his skill set can be utilized." Montgomery operated as the team's No. 2 running back this season, totaling 182 touches--far fewer than the 221 and 235 he logged in 2024 and 2023, respectively. The Lions could choose to look for a complementary power back to partner with RB Jahmyr Gibbs in the draft this offseason.