With NFL free agency set to kick off on Wednesday, March 11, the Green Bay Packers will be looking to make some moves to get back to the top of the NFC North in 2026. Conversely, they’ll also be watching to see what the rest of the teams in the division will do.
The Detroit Lions could see significant changes on both sides of the ball this offseason, especially as OverTheCap lists them with the fourth-smallest cap space in the NFL (minus-$12.1 million). Seeing the Lions weaken would be great news for the Packers, who swept the regular season series in 2025.
One of those changes could be veteran running back David Montgomery, who could be playing elsewhere in 2026, leaving a huge void to fill in the Lions’ backfield. On Sunday, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported that Montgomery wants out of Detroit and the Lions would want a "Day 3 pick" in return for him.
However, the veteran running back took to X on Sunday morning to refute the report, saying, “Damn, Dmo told you that?” At the same time, it'd be far from the first time that a player said one thing in public but wanted something else behind the scenes.
Regardless, the Packers will welcome any potential drama for their Motor City rivals.
David Montgomery's Wanting Out of Detroit Is Great News for Green Bay
Even though Montgomery is saying one thing, Fowler’s report lines up with a lot of the talk coming out of the Motor City regarding Montgomery since the regular season ended. The veteran running back wasn’t necessarily pleased with his role this season and made his thoughts known in various ways.
Montgomery ran for a career-low 716 yards on 158 carries in 17 games, and didn’t make one start. He scored eight touchdowns on the ground, while adding 24 receptions (29 targets) for 192 yards.
However, the Packers ' defense did its job and held him in check in both meetings this past season.
- Week 1: 11 carries for 25 yards, four receptions (four targets) for 18 yards
- Week 13: 8 carries for 32 yards, a TD, two receptions (two targets) for 16 yards
Although things didn’t go as planned in 2025, the thought in Detroit was that maybe things could be salvaged with the Lions bringing in Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator. Petzing was known for having top-10 rushing attacks in 2023 and 2024 with the Arizona Cardinals.
However, with this report about Montgomery wanting out, it could turn Petzing’s dream scenario into a nightmare to begin his first year as OC. That would be great for the Packers, who have new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon calling the shots on that side of the ball. Petzing was on Gannon’s staff, so he knows what his former OC likes to do.
Imagine not having to worry about Jahmyr Gibbs and Montgomery, who have become one of the best RB duos in the league. The Packers’ defense would be happy about that, as they had their issues in stopping the run in 2025 (allowing 117.7 yards per game).
That said, if the Lions do ultimately decide to part ways with Montgomery in the coming days, they’re going to be in a tough spot. Detroit would be left with Jacob Saylors and Sione Vaki as the potential RB2 options, and that shouldn’t scare the Packers.
Both Saylors and Vaki do most of their work on special teams. Now, the Lions could add an RB in free agency (Michael Carter, Nick Chubb, Brian Robinson) or hope for James Conner to be released, but those guys aren’t Montgomery.
Montgomery was the thunder to Gibbs’ lightning in the backfield; without him there, the Lions will have to scramble to find a replacement that isn’t an easy 1-for-1 fix. The Packers will be sitting back, watching, and hoping that the Lions actually get rid of Montgomery.