Windy City Gridiron: David Montgomery is ‘a true three-down back’

It’s official, Jamaal Williams is headed for New Orleans after two really fun years with the Detroit Lions. In his place is a very intriguing new Lion in former Bears running back David Montgomery. The hardest part about all of this is that Williams was such a fun guy and so easy to love, but Montgomery might be the better player.

Montgomery is just 25 years old and was just ranked the 98th best player in the NFL after the 2021 season. He has run all over the Lions in the past and now he’s about to play behind the best offensive line he’s ever played with. There’s a big chance that Montgomery has a terrific season and could wind up being the Lions top running back.

Of all the new Lions that have come around so far, Montgomery is the one we’ve seen the most of. Still, there’s more to learn about him. So we reached out to our pal Lester Wiltfong Jr. of Windy City Gridiron. Here’s what he had to say.

1. What are your overall thoughts on Montgomery’s time in Chicago?

“I was a big fan. He’s a hard worker, a good locker room guy, and great off the field too. He’s everything thing you want in a professional football player. He also had a rep in Chicago for bouncing back from injury remarkably fast. Fans would often wonder if had a mutant-healing factor like Wolverine because he’d always come back way ahead of projections.”

2. What are his strengths?

“He’s a true three-down back. He has good hands to catch the ball out of the backfield, he can shift outside and run routes lined up as a receiver, but most importantly, he’s good in pass protection. He’s also a tough runner capable of breaking tackles, and he has top-notch contact balance. It’s cliche to say, but there’s no one that will outwork him in the offseason. A quick Twitter search will show a bunch of his workout stuff.”

3. What are his weaknesses?

“He’s never had elite speed, although this is something he’s worked on during the offseason as alluded to above. He also tends to dance a bit too much if he doesn’t see an immediate opening. He’s never been a ‘stick the foot in the ground and get upfield for as many yards as possible’ kind of guy, which is what the game situation dictates on occasion.”

4. Montgomery seems like a guy the Bears would have wanted to keep. Is that accurate and why?

“The Bears went to a more outside zone scheme last year, and Montgomery seems like a better fit for an inside zone or a power gap scheme. The Bears want a faster back that stresses the edge of a defense more, and that isn’t Montgomery. Reports were that the Bears wanted him back at the right price, and apparently, Detroit trumped that number. I was hoping he’d return.”

5. Can Montgomery be a top running back with the Lions?

“A couple of years ago he was top five in the NFL in yards from scrimmage, so yeah, he can put up RB1 numbers with the touches, but his lack of explosiveness limits how effective those touches will be. He’s a solid back for sure, but honestly, even had he returned to Chicago, I was hoping his volume would decrease because he’s not a home run threat.”