While nobody could call it a huge shock, it was a minor surprise when David Montgomery left in free agency to join the Detroit Lions. GM Ryan Poles had expressed constant interest in keeping the running back after his strong contributions in 2022. His work habits, leadership, and playing style were all things the Chicago Bears wanted to keep around. It didn’t work out. People speculated about what might’ve happened. The initial belief is the Bears simply let him walk, not seeing him as an ideal scheme fit or not wishing to pay him significant money.
Poles had a chance to address those questions at the owners meetings in Arizona. He reiterated the issue had nothing to do with the Bears wanting him back. They made that clear throughout negotiations. In the end, it came down to Montgomery himself. The Bears felt they made a competitive offer to bring him back. He chose to go elsewhere.
“I would just kind of sum it up by saying players do have a choice,” Poles said. “I thought we communicated well. I thought we negotiated well. At the same time, you don’t always know what’s going on in the background, but I thought we did a good job, we were transparent, we were organized and it just, it didn’t happen. I felt like it was really, really close, though.”
Poles knows that the Bears will face a fired-up Montgomery twice this season.
“He definitely is going to run with a chip on his shoulder, so we’ll be ready for that,” Poles said. “But I communicated with him, too. Happy for him. He’s a guy I’ve respected since he was at Iowa State, and I love the way he runs. So, it’s all good.”
Montgomery’s choice could’ve been driven by a few factors.
Detroit may have offered more money, though we don’t know that for sure. It became clear to them running back Jamaal Williams likely wasn’t returning. So they needed somebody to pair with DeAndre Swift. There is also the fact the Lions appear poised to go after the division title. Montgomery has spent most of his career on losing teams. He may not wish to stick around for the rest of the Bears’ rebuild, which is entirely fair.
David Montgomery did what he had to do.
That’s what it came down to. He wanted to get paid and he wanted to be on a team that can win. The Lions were in a better position to offer that than the Bears. While it stings to see things end up this way, Poles doesn’t seem bothered by the development. Chicago still has Khalil Herbert, who was far more effective as a runner last season. They also signed veteran D’Onta Foreman, who is coming off the best season of his career in Carolina. He might be a better fit than Montgomery at half the price.
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There is no reason to think the Bears running game will be devastated by this loss. It was always more about wanting to reward a player that has been such a workhorse for the organization. David Montgomery deserved it. While it’s impossible to cheer for a divisional rival, one hopes the running continues to have success. Few deserve it more than he does. Sadly it is another reminder of how much of a failure the Ryan Pace era was.
If the Bears’ starting LBs are healthy, Montgomery won’t be doing a whole lot vs the Bears this season.
He seems like a good guy, and his strength is breaking tackles, especially behind the LOS. But part of the reason he had to break all those tackles is he doesn’t have the best vision or quickness. He doesn’t fumble a lot, but his fumbles have agruably cost games.
Montgomery and Jamaal Williams have the same # of career carries .If you compare the stats, you’ll find Detroit probably overpaid for Montgomery.
If Montgomery left because he felt the Lions were in a better position to win… is telling. When was the last time any of us thought, “The Lions are in a better position to compete for the division. “?
Had to wash my hands after typing that
@DELT BOI – I most certainly will mock your words.
@Tonkaman – Determining which Thomas Gena statement is the dumbest would certainly take years of research, based on the astronomically large number of potential candidates.
Whatever criticism anyone wants to level at Montgomery, he was a great team player and Detroit got a good one. He never used the media to manipulate his contract issues, he played hard and you never got the impression he took plays off. Like someone else said I too will be pulling for him for 15 games every year. But he also plays a position that has sadly evolved into a very temporary one in terms of shelf life, and the Bears had the luxury of having Herbert AND a lot of free agency money to spend so they didn’t… Read more »