Lions Take Bears Running Back

Detroit pays the free agency asking price for Bears' sixth-leading rusher of all time.

USA Today

The Bears didn't want David Montgomery for 17 games a season at a high price or even at a relatively low price.

Instead, they'll get to face him two games a season.

Montgomery will get to run behind that powerful Detroit Lions offensive line as he agreed Tuesday night to a contract to play in Motown for only $18 million over three years, according to Tom Peliserro of NFL Network.

It ends Montgomery's run of four seasons as starting running back in Chicago, one in which he seemed to pour his heart into every rushing attempt. Montgomery finishes as the sixth-leading rusher in Bears history with 915 runs for 3,609 yards, a 3.9-yard average with 26 touchdowns. He also had 155 receptions for 1,240 yards and was a very dependable pass blocker.

Montgomery's last time seen at Halas Hall was when he cleaned out his locker after the season and gave Justin Fields what seemed like a comical hug in front of media members, perhaps knowing it could be for the final time.

It leaves the Bears with Khalil Herbert as the starter for the moment. He led all NFL running backs in yards per carry last year at a 5.7-yard average. 

The Bears never wanted David Montgomery back. They could’ve/would’ve matched that if they did. The writing was on the wall months ago. Best of luck to him, except against the Bears 2x a year.

— Ross Read (@RossRead) March 15, 2023

There are plenty of backs available in free agency in an ultra-buyer's market, including Detroit's Jamaal Williams, who knows Luke Getsy's offense from his time in Green Bay.

Also out there is Austin Ekeler, who is not a free agent but has asked the Chargers for permission to explore trade options.

Montgomery lacked breakaway speed, and Pro Football Focus had pointed out he recorded only 21 rushes of 15 yards over his four seasons, tied for 39th in the league for that span. 

However, he was always among the, backs with the most broken tackles or missed tackles forced. PFF recorded him as forcing 185 missed tackles over four seasons, fifth most.

Whatever their reason, $18 million for three years didn't seem like much to match, especially when GM Ryan Poles kept insisting he wanted Montgomery back. You could almost see this coming from a mile away, and it looks more like the Bears simply didn't want Montgomery back when they wouldn't meet that comparatively low price.

"I've always wanted to keep David," Pace said after the season. "I love his mentality, how he plays the game. I told him that to his face. He's part of the identity that we had this year that kept us competitive.

"Now, the second part of that is just the contract situation. That's something that we'll see how that goes and if we can find common ground."

Now the ground he'll gain will be with Detroit.

bijan robinson or any rb with a top 10 pick, for a team that needs two offensive linemen and an entire defensive line, is one of the funniest ideas i’ve seen bears twitter suggest. bar none.

i would wholeheartedly want ryan poles’ halas keycard to “break” if he made that pick

— robert (@RobertZeglinski) March 15, 2023

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