Kansas City, MO – April 12, 2025
The Kansas City Chiefs are in advanced talks to acquire a former Pro Bowl running back in a deal that would send a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick to the Detroit Lions, per sources close to the negotiation.
The player? David Montgomery, who rushed for 805 yards and 7 touchdowns in 2024 while sharing carries with Jahmyr Gibbs. Montgomery, 27, signed a three-year, $18 million deal with Detroit in 2023 and carries a $9 million cap hit for 2025.
Why now?
Kansas City’s rushing attack sputtered late in 2024, and with Isiah Pacheco recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and Clyde Edwards-Helaire still unsigned, the Chiefs are looking to add depth and veteran power. GM Brett Veach reportedly sees Montgomery as an “ideal scheme fit” who brings “tough yards and pass-blocking reliability.”
📊 Montgomery by the Numbers
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805 rushing yards
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7 TDs
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3.9 YPC
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31 receptions for 198 yards
His power inside the red zone and ability to protect Patrick Mahomes are viewed as key assets in a crowded AFC playoff field.
🧠 Chiefs’ Cap Shuffle
To make the deal work financially, the Chiefs would likely restructure the contracts of Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Justin Reid, freeing up space for Montgomery’s $9M tag.
🤔 What It Means
If finalized, the trade would give Kansas City a proven between-the-tackles runner who can complement Pacheco or take lead duties early if Pacheco isn’t 100% for Week 1.
Montgomery is no stranger to the AFC — having torched the Bengals for 127 yards in 2022 — and he brings a physical presence the Chiefs lacked in their Super Bowl LIX loss to Philadelphia.
“We got Mahomes. Now we need muscle,” one team official said.
