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With the 2025 regular season done and dusted, the Kansas City Chiefs have their full attention on the offseason. Following a stunning 6-11 season, the Chiefs need to hit home runs in both the draft and free agency to get the franchise back on track. A major position of need is running back.
The team flirted with the idea of trading for New York Jets RB Breece Hall midseason. He would be an ideal fit in Andy Reid's offense, and he may still be an option if the Jets don't franchise tag him. But another name has emerged as a strong option: David Montgomery of the Detroit Lions.
Could David Montgomery be the Chiefs' starting RB in 2026?
A report from ESPN's Eric Woodyard points to Montgomery playing somewhere else in 2026. The Lions handed over the keys to the offense to Jahmyr Gibbs in 2025, relegating Montgomery to a backup role. "D Mont" didn't start a single game all season, and ended up with the lowest touch total (182) of his career.
The Lions want to do right by Montgomery, who has played a crucial role in the franchise's turnaround. General manager Brad Holmes claimed that the team will "have discussions with what's best going forward for his career, either in Detroit or elsewhere." Taking it a step further, Holmes also said that Montgomery "deserves to be in a situation where his skillset can be utilized."
It's unclear if that means Montgomery will be traded or outright released - that is, if he actually wants out of Detroit. Regardless, the Chiefs could stand to benefit greatly, as Montgomery is exactly the type of running back Kansas City needs: an efficient, hard-nosed runner who can also catch passes out of the backfield.
The Chiefs simply haven't gotten enough out of their running back room in recent seasons. Isiah Pacheco seemed destined for stardom early in his career, but injuries have sapped some of his abilities. Kareem Hunt hasn't average more than 3.8 yards per carry since 2021. And Brashard Smith is a relative unknown at this point in time. Montgomery could be the answer to Kansas City's running back question.