What the David Montgomery trade means for Texans, Lions - ESPN

They say all good things must come to an end. In Detroit, the «Sonic & Knuckles» era is now over.

With running back David Montgomery being traded to the Houston Texans for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, a 2026 fourth-round draft pick and a 2027 seventh-rounder, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Lions will look to feature Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs more as the lead back. Montgomery is in line to enter the 2026 season as the No. 1 back for Houston.

Montgomery, known as «Knuckles» for his strength, and Gibbs, aka «Sonic» because of his speed, made NFL history together after being nicknamed for the 1990s video game characters.

The duo set the NFL record for the most games with a touchdown scored by a running back duo in league history (15), but they will now begin a new journey.

The Texans had an eventful day on the trade market, sending away their best offensive lineman in Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round pick and then bolstering their running back room.

Houston had a lackluster rushing attack last season, ranking 22nd in rushing yards per game (108). The Texans were led by rookie Woody Marks with 703 yards, with him overtaking late free-agency add Nick Chubb midseason. Neither was supposed to be the starter as Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon missed the season with an unexpected foot injury that never healed.

After the season finished, it was clear the Texans didn't think that room was good enough to get the offense to the physical downhill style they're targeting. Adding Montgomery provides some clarity on how Houston will move forward in the offseason.

Taking a closer look, NFL Nation reporters D.J. Bien-Aime and Eric Woodyard answer three big questions about Monday's moves, including a look at