The fans are asking if the Detroit Lions will have David Montgomery back. This $80m rumor can seal the deal for him.

ESPN's Dan Graziano has projected that the Lions are planning on giving Jahmyr Gibbs a four-year, $80 million deal, which includes $30 million fully guaranteed at signing.

This will make him the highest-paid running back ever, surpassing Saquon Barkley’s $20.6M per year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. And if Gibbs lands that contract, David Montgomery instantly becomes a clear-cut release candidate.

The RB racked up good numbers for the Lions in the 2025 season. He had 158 carries for 716 yards and scored 8 touchdowns in 17 games, but the money is a big problem. The RB two-year contract extension with the Detroit Lions is worth about $18.25 million.

The contract keeps him under contract through the 2027 season. But his cap hit walking into the 2026 season is $8.37 million, and it goes as high as $10.245 million for the 2027 season. There’s no realistic scenario where the Lions allocate that much money to two RBs at the same time.

Lions GM Brad Holmes has been candid about him as well. “Look, those are discussions that we’re going to have to have a lot more in-depth in terms of what is the best plan for him going forward. Is it somewhere else, or whatever the case may be? But just really appreciate everything that he has done for us if it does end up going that way," he said.

But Jahmyr Gibbs Wants David Montgomery Back

Gibbs has made it clear that we would love to have Montgomery on the team next year. But is it actually in Montgomery's hands?

He does have the option to restructure his deal. It's also on the Lions to offer him a respectable salary. The man is 28 years old, and the league has youger option, so negotiating is going be hard. But he has also fueled the rumors that he wants to return with praises for Drew Petzing.

Montgomery said, "I talked to him briefly. It’s pretty evident that he knows exactly what has to happen, and he’s prepared for the task at hand, so it will be good to see what he implements in our offense and how we can improve."

What do you think will happen?

Written by

Reyansh Dubey

Edited by

Joyita Das