Montgomery has new competition in the backfield after Detroit drafted RB Jahmyr Gibbs 12th overall Thursday, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press reports.
Birkett, along with many others, expects D'Andre Swift to be the odd man out in the Detroit backfield, given that Swift has one year remaining on his contract and has struggled to stay healthy throughout his pro career. Montgomery joined the Lions in March on a three-year, $18 million contract with $8.75 million guaranteed at signing, including his $1.25 base salary for 2023 and $3 million of his $5.25 million salary for 2024. He thus figures to be under contract for at least two years, and while Detroit's backfield looks crowded at the moment, Montgomery could end up with a workload split around 50/50 as the thunder to Gibbs' lightning if/when the Lions move on from Swift. To that end, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Friday morning that the Lions are already receiving trade calls for Swift.