The Lions are sending Montgomery to the Texans for OL Juice Scruggs, alongside a 4th round and 7th round draft pick, an NFL Network insider is saying.
DETROIT — The iconic Lions backfield of “Sonic and Knuckles” is no more after Detroit announced a trade with Houston for RB David Montgomery.
Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network was one of the first to announce the trade on X Monday morning. He says the Lions are sending Montgomery to the Texans for OL Juice Scruggs, alongside a 4th round and 7th round draft pick.
Compensation update: The Texans are sending OL Juice Scruggs, a 4th-rounder and a 7th-rounder to Detroit for David Montgomery. https://t.co/EQaSP8sW1e
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 2, 2026
Montgomery was RB2 for the Lions, behind Jahmyr Gibbs. The two earned the nicknames Sonic and Knuckles during their 2024 season where both running backs earned over 1,000 total yards. In 2025, Montgomery fell just short of the 1,000 total yard mark, leading to him being vocal in recent weeks about the amount of playtime he hoped to see in 2026.
Scruggs played 351 snaps for the Texans in 2025, allowing no sacks, and racking up three penalties on the year.
The Lions have had issues on the offensive line since Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow retired due to injuries.