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Free Agent Stock Watch: David Montgomery

December 18th, 2022 at 6:49pm CST by Ely Allen

Bears running back David Montgomery will soon experience the challenges of a free agent running back in today’s NFL. A third-round draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, Montgomery is currently in a contract year for a team that may not have reason to commit to him long-term. The final few games of the season could determine how the next stage of Montgomery’s career plays out.

Montgomery entered this season as the Bears’ No. 1 running back with backup Khalil Herbert providing the team with a strong secondary option. Montgomery had produced two strong seasons to kick off his career. As a rookie starting eight games, Montgomery racked up 889 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, adding 185 yards and a touchdown through the air as a receiving back. In his sophomore season, Montgomery showed a ton of promise, rushing for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns and catching 54 passes for 438 yards and two touchdowns.

Last year, Chicago drafted Herbert in the sixth-round to supplement their rushing attack. Montgomery’s production slipped a bit as Herbert shared some of the offense, but he still produced 849 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns and showed he was the top receiving back with 301 yards on 42 catches. Herbert got his opportunities, though, and contributed 433 rushing yards and two touchdowns as a rookie.

This year the story has changed a little bit. Despite the fact that, coming into today’s game, Montgomery had started all but one game and appeared in two more games than Herbert, who had missed the team’s last three games with a hip injury, Montgomery trailed Herbert by two rushing yards. Montgomery plays about 67% of the Bears’ offensive snaps on average, while Herbert averages around 37%. Still, until today’s loss against the Eagles, the backup running back, Herbert, was outgaining the starting running back, Montgomery, with an average rushing yards per game of 64.3 to 53.4. Montgomery has maintained his role as the team’s top receiving back this season.

After sitting out of his fourth straight game today, Herbert is set to return next week to help Chicago in its last three games of the regular season. Montgomery will have a bit of an added challenge in the final few games of the season to show his worth to the Bears offense with his more-productive teammate back in the lineup. At 3-11, already eliminated from postseason contention, Montgomery will only have the final three games of the regular season to make his case.

If Montgomery hits free agency, he will join a stacked free agent class of running backs. After his fifth-year option was declined, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs will be a free agent this offseason. Barring any new extensions before the end of the season, Giants running back Saquon Barkley, Eagles running back Miles Sanders, and Cowboys running back Tony Pollard will all join Montgomery and Jacobs on the free agent market. Additionally, key contributors in Browns running back Kareem Hunt, Lions running back Jamaal Williams, Bills running back Devin Singletary, and Patriots running back Damien Harris will all hit free agency, as well. Even a score of reliable backups will be available in Minnesota’s Alexander Mattison, Cincinnati’s Samaje Perine, New York’s James Robinson, Miami’s Raheem Mostert, and Carolina’s D’Onta Foreman.

Needless to say, Montgomery will have a ton of competition in the free agent market. Regardless of the competition, what would a deal with Montgomery look like? Realistically, these days, for a running back that isn’t a super star, a three-year deal is standard. Star backs are set to earn around $14MM to $16MM per year, perhaps more if a suitor wants to set the market high for a free agent target. Strong starters will earn around $10MM to $13MM and second-tier backs will be in the range of about $6MM to $8MM.

Statistically compared to recent contracts, Montgomery matches up closest with a player like Buccaneers running back Leonard Fournette. Fournette recently signed a three-year, $21MM deal after a contract year that could look vaguely similar to what Montgomery is projected to do this year. There are two factors in Montgomery’s favor, though. Montgomery doesn’t have the significant injury history that Fournette does, and Montgomery has been far more consistent with his production year in, year out. This could point to either a three-year deal with a slightly larger average annual value or a similar annual amount with another year tacked on. If Montgomery were in a vacuum, he would likely demand something like a three-year, $24MM contract or a four-year, $28MM deal.

Unfortunately for Montgomery, he is not in a vacuum. With the excessive amount of competition he will face in the free agent market, Montgomery’s value may be diluted. It will be hard to convince a team to shell out big money for Montgomery if they can just sign a lesser deal to one of many options. This may lead Montgomery to seek a team-friendly deal in order to stay in Chicago. With the existing connection and chemistry, Montgomery may be able to get more value out of his current team than he would testing the markets.

Taking all of this into account, Montgomery still will likely earn a three-year contract, possibly even four- with his superior durability. In a diluted market or in a team friendly deal, I could see Montgomery signing with an average annual value of $6MM or $7MM. It would make sense to see Montgomery end up with a three-year, $19.5MM or four-year, $24MM deal this offseason. Whether he wants to stand pat in Chicago or test the free agent waters, Montgomery will have three more games to show what he’s worth.

Bears To Wait On Extension For RB David Montgomery?

August 12th, 2022 at 4:56pm CST by Sam Robinson

Roquan Smith is not the only contract matter facing the Bears. They have their fourth-year starting running back, David Montgomery, also entering a walk year.

The Bears are being patient regarding a Montgomery extension, with Dan Graziano of ESPN.com noting the team should be expected to see how the veteran back looks in Chicago’s system before determining if it will go forward with a second contract. This is in line with how other teams are proceeding with backs from the 2019 draft class, which has seen teams operate with less urgency compared to the more talented 2017 contingent.

The primary Chicago starter since going in the 2019 third round, Montgomery has one 1,000-yard season (2020) and two 800-plus-yard campaigns. Helping the 2020 Bears to the playoffs, Montgomery reached 1,508 scrimmage yards that season. He notched 308 receiving yards in 2021 and will now transition to Luke Getsy‘s offense. Next Gen Stats rated Montgomery as below average in terms of rushing yards over expected (minus-26) last season, but he also rated 10th in rushing yards after first contact in 2021.

[RELATED: Assessing Montgomery’s Extension Candidacy]

Chicago’s rebuild is set to usher in a new-look offensive line. Entering the preseason slate, the team is preparing to go with fifth-round rookie Braxton Jones and 12th-year veteran Riley Reiff at tackle. Newcomers are also expected to be starters at center (Lucas Patrick) and right guard (Michael Schofield). Left guard Cody Whitehair may well be the only holdover for the Bears, who have a new head coach and general manager in place. The staff turnover also clouds Montgomery’s future.

Multiple teams’ retention efforts this offseason did create a middle class of sorts at running back. The Cardinals and Buccaneers, respectively, signed James Conner and Leonard Fournette to three-year, $21MM deals. A significant gap exists between the top tier — populated largely by 2017 running back draftees — and that duo. Among veteran contracts, no running back is earning between $7-$12MM per year. With a solid season, Montgomery could be a candidate to bridge that gap. Of course, others reside in that space as well.

The Bears have Justin Fields and Darnell Mooney tied to rookie deals, and their defense — regardless of what happens with Smith — does not have many high-end contracts. But it is unclear how Poles and Co. will value the running back position. A few teams have starter- or starter-caliber backs on the early track for free agency in 2023. Saquon Barkley, Kareem Hunt, and 2019 draftees Josh Jacobs, Miles Sanders, Damien Harris and Devin Singletary are unsigned beyond 2022. While it cannot be assumed all will be available, this setup could create a crowded market for backs next year.

Extension Candidate: David Montgomery

June 19th, 2022 at 8:59pm CST by Adam La Rose

In recent years, a select number of running backs have received sizeable second contracts. Given his performances early in his career, and his importance to the Bears’ offense, David Montgomery could be the next in line for a new deal.

The 25-year-old had a productive college career at Iowa State. In his final two years in particular, he took on a heavy workload, ranking second and first in the Big 12 in carries in 2017 and 2018, respectively. He put up similar numbers across his sophomore and junior campaigns, totalling 2,362 rushing yards, an additional 453 yards through the air and 24 touchdowns.

That production made him one of the highest-rated backs in the 2019 draft class. He was firmly on Chicago’s radar, and the Bears traded up to N0. 73 to select him. As a result of the Khalil Mack trade, Montgomery represented the team’s top pick that year, something which heightened expectations as he entered the league. During that offseason, the Bears traded away Jordan Howard and signed Mike Davis, teaming the veteran with Tarik Cohen. 

Montgomery spent his rookie season splitting snaps with latter in particular. He was still able to start eight games and total over 1,000 scrimmage yards, however. That made it an easy transition for him to take over as a workhorse back in 2020, when Cohen began experiencing the injury troubles which limited him to three games that year, and cost him the entire 2021 campaign. Montgomery had the best season of his career to date, ranking fifth in the NFL with 1,070 rushing yards.

Having demonstrated his abilities both on the ground and in the passing game, expectations were once again high for the five-foot-eleven, 224-pounder heading into 2021. The Bears’ offense still featured Allen Robinson and was in line for a significant change at quarterback, with the team having drafted Justin Fields. Those two never generated the chemistry many were expecting, though, leaving Montgomery as the team’s top offensive weapon once again. He was limited to 13 games due to a knee injury, but still managed to record 1,150 scrimmage yards and score seven touchdowns.

In part because of Montgomery’s production on one hand, and the decided lack of consistently effective players around him on the other, he has accounted for nearly one-quarter of the Bears’ offense during his career. That figure ranks seventh in the league across that span, leaving him (especially in the absence of Robinson, who signed with the Rams in free agency) as the undisputed focal point of Chicago’s attack.

How much the team’s front office – now led by general manager Ryan Poles – is willing to pay him, knowing that fact, becomes a central question. In the absence of an extension being signed this summer, much will depend, of course, on his level of play in 2022 under new head coach Matt Eberflus. Fields is now the unquestioned starter, and is understandably expected to take a significant step forward. As for the backfield, Montgomery will be supported by 2021 sixth-rounder Khalil Herbert (who impressed in his rookie season) and, in all likelihood, Trestan Ebner, whom the team drafted this April.

From a financial standpoint, the running back position has seen a notable upward trend in recent years. A total of eight backs are now under contract for at least $12MM per season, from 2016 draftees Ezekiel Elliott and Derrick Henry to, most recently, Nick Chubb. Given his production, Montgomery may be the likeliest candidate for an extension amongst members of the 2019 class (the other most notable ones being Josh Jacobs, who had his fifth-year option declined by the Raiders, and Miles Sanders, who hasn’t been given as large of a workload by the Eagles).

On the final year of his rookie contract, Montgomery will earn a base salary of $2.8MM, while carrying a slightly higher cap hit. The rebuilding Bears rank third in the league in cap space right now, and first in projected space for 2023, so affording even an above-market extension likely wouldn’t be problematic. As detailed by ESPN’s Courtney Cronin, Montgomery isn’t focusing on his financial future heading into his contract year, however.

“At the end of the day, whether I’m going into my second year or my first year, I’ve still got to play football,” he said. “I could really care less about contracts, the contract terms and things, but I’m excited to be here for another year and play with my guys too.”

Bears Activate David Montgomery

November 8th, 2021 at 3:50pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears have activated David Montgomery, per an official club announcement. He’ll return from the injured reserve list just in time to face the Steelers tonight in Pittsburgh. 

This is good, but expected news for the Bears. Head coach Matt Nagy said last week there was a good chance that Montgomery could return this week, marking his first action since Week 4.

Montgomery, 24, tallied 309 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns up until his injury, plus six catches for 49 yards. After his career year in 2020 — 1,070 rushing yards and eight rushing TDs — he should provide a boost for the Bears’ offense tonight. They enter the national TV matchup on a three-game losing streak, with their most recent L coming against the 49ers.

Breshad Perriman won’t be on hand, however. The wide receiver was dropped over the weekend, taking him off the roster without ever having played a down for Chicago.

Bears’ David Montgomery Returns To Practice

November 4th, 2021 at 1:11pm CST by Zachary Links

The Bears have designated David Montgomery for return from injured reserve, per a club announcement. This move kicks off a 21-day window for the Bears to activate the running back. If he’s not restored to the roster in the next three weeks, he will be ineligible to return in 2021. 

Montgomery was placed on IR with an MCL sprain in Week 4. To date, he has registered 309 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, plus six catches for 49 yards. The Bears were expected to lean on ex-Kansas City starter Damien Williams in his stead, but they’ve gotten more production out of sixth-round pick Khalil Herbert. To date, he has 351 yards (and a touchdown) off of 81 carries, with the bulk of those yards coming in the last three games. That includes 5.0+ yards per carry against the Packers and the Bucs.

Montgomery, 24, is coming off of his best season to date. In 2020, he tallied 1,070 rushing yards and eight rushing TDs, good for 4.3 yards per carry. If he’s ready in time, he could make his ’21 debut against the Steelers on Monday night.

Bears Move David Montgomery To IR, Activate Danny Trevathan

October 9th, 2021 at 2:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Bears moved their starting running back off their active roster Saturday, they received some good defensive news. The Bears activated Danny Trevathan off IR, putting the veteran linebacker in position to make his season debut in Week 5.

Trevathan will take David Montgomery‘s roster spot. Montgomery will miss at least Chicago’s next three games, and a more extended absence is expected. The third-year Bears starting running back is not believed to be out for the season — at least, not at this juncture — but the team will need to get by with a different backfield plan.

Chicago added ex-Kansas City starter Damien Williams this offseason. He should be expected to shoulder the brunt of the running back work in Montgomery’s absence. A career backup who saw Kareem Hunt‘s abrupt Chiefs departure change his career trajectory, Williams has managed to be an impact back without a considerable workload. In two Kansas City playoff slates, Williams totaled 10 touchdowns. Yet, he has just 310 career carries despite being in his age-29 season. Williams opted out of the 2020 campaign, leading him to the Bears.

Trevathan, 31, has been with the Bears since 2016. A knee injury during training camp sidelined the 10th-year linebacker, but Trevathan returned to practice last week. His presence alongside Roquan Smith stands to strengthen Chicago’s defense, which enters Week 5 10th in points allowed.

Bears’ David Montgomery To Miss Time

October 5th, 2021 at 10:45am CST by Zachary Links

The Bears will be without David Montgomery for a while (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). The running back’s knee injury isn’t a season ender, but it’s expected to cost him several weeks. 

Montgomery could return sometime around Week 10 — the Bears’ bye week. It’s unfortunate timing, especially on the heels of his second 100-yard game. Montgomery opened the year with 108 yards against the Rams and, on Sunday, put up 106 yards against Detroit. All in all, he has 309 yards and three touchdowns on the ground plus six grabs for 49 yards.

Ultimately, the injury is not as bad as it first appeared. Montgomery was down for a while after hurting his knee in the fourth quarter and had to be helped off of the field. And, historically, he’s been pretty resilient. Despite bumps and bruises, Montgomery missed just one game between 2019 and 2020.

In the meantime, that leaves the Bears with Damien Williams and Khalil Herbert as their lone RBs. Practice squader Ryan Nall could get called up, but the Bears may also want to explore some out-of-house options.

David Montgomery Suffers Groin Injury

August 27th, 2020 at 10:02am CST by Zachary Links

THURSDAY, 10:02am: Montgomery will be out of action for 2-4 weeks, which means he still has a chance at playing in the Bears’ season opener against the Lions (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport).

WEDNESDAY, 12:53pm: Bears running back David Montgomery went down with a non-contact injury on Wednesday, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. After hobbling off of the field, the 23-year-old was diagnosed with a groin strain. Now, the Bears are awaiting word and hoping for the best. 

It’ll take at least a day or two to determine Montgomery’s timetable for recovery, but it’s possible that the Bears won’t have the young rusher for the start of the season. Without Montgomery, the Bears will have to lean even more on Tarik Cohen, plus support from Ryan Nall and Artavis Pierce. Cohen, of course, is utilized more as a pass-catcher than a traditional RB. Last year, he carried the ball just 64 times for 213 yards in total while recording a career-high 79 catches. Montgomery, meanwhile, logged 242 totes for 889 yards as a rookie.

This year, the Bears were counting on Montgomery to take a big step forward. The youngster has been eager to show what he can do, especially since cleaning up his diet.

“Whenever I had the craving for a Krispy Creme doughnut, I’d definitely go have one back in the day,” Montgomery said, via the team’s website. “But now, I fight the urge to go have one…I feel amazing. Everything feels good right now, as far as my body. I’m not as sore as I was last year because of the lack of food that I don’t need that has a lot of inflammation to it. And just running. Just being able to run and feeling good at how I run and being able to make the right cuts.”

Extra Points: Montgomery, Bears, Miller, XFL

June 28th, 2019 at 9:38pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Bears drafted running back David Montgomery in the third round back in April, not long after they traded away Jordan Howard. Montgomery has the opportunity to earn a large role this offseason, and so far it sounds like he’s been seizing it. Per Adam Jahns of The Athletic, Montgomery was lighting up the Bears’ OTAs and minicamp. Jahns writes that the Iowa State product “led the rookies, if not the entire team, in highlights made during the offseason program.”

Montgomery was somewhat of a bruising runner at Iowa State, so there was some concern coming out of college about how he’d fare in the passing game. That hasn’t been an issue so far, as Jahns writes that he “excelled in running routes and catching passes,” and that he “looked like a problem for the Bears’ defense.” Per Jahns, Montgomery has both teammates and coaches excited. Tarik Cohen will play his usual role, but he’s never going to be able to handle a full allotment of snaps with his frame. It’s early, but it sounds like Montgomery could take over a featured role as a rookie.

Here’s more from around the league:

  • The Bears sound pleased with Montgomery’s development, and that isn’t the only good news Chicago fans are getting. In the same piece, Jahns reports that the team expects both tight end Trey Burton and receiver Anthony Miller to be ready for training camp. Burton underwent offseason sports hernia surgery, while Miller had surgery to repair a torn labrum. Both players had missed the team’s recent minicamp and OTAs. Burton’s first year in Chicago was a bit of a disappointment after the big contract that he signed, while Miller showed a lot of flashes in a rookie season that was limited by recurring shoulder issues. Both players could be in for a big 2019 if they can stay healthy.
  • The XFL has been gearing up for their first season back recently, holding a series of showcases across the country. A bunch of familiar names have popped up, and we have a new one tonight courtesy of Greg Auman of The Athletic (Twitter link). Tommy Streeter, a 2012 sixth-round pick of the Ravens, will participate in the XFL’s Tampa showcase on Saturday, Auman reports. Streeter won Super Bowl XLVII with Baltimore, although he was on injured reserve at the time. He was cut by the Ravens following his rookie season, and the receiver then had stops with the Bills, Buccaneers, Dolphins, and Jaguars. Most recently, the Miami product played in the CFL in 2016.
  • In case you missed it, 2017 Seahawks second-round pick Malik McDowell is facing charges of assault, resisting arrest, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

Bears Sign Third-Round RB David Montgomery

June 13th, 2019 at 6:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears have reached an agreement with third-round running back David Montgomery, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Chicago traded up to acquire Montgomery, sending three picks (including a 2020 fourth-rounder) to New England in exchange for the 73rd overall selection. The Bears didn’t have a first- or second-round pick in the 2019 draft as a result of the Khalil Mack trade and a 2018 draft-day swap with (again with the Patriots), so Montgomery represented the club’s first selection.

Having already shipped Jordan Howard to the Eagles, the Bears were searching for another back to team with free agent signee Mike Davis and holdover Tarik Cohen. Howard handled roughly 58% of Chicago’s running back snaps and 55% of the team’s rushing attempts a season ago, and head coach Matt Nagy will now be tasked with divvying up touches among three backs.

Montgomery (5’10”, 222 pounds) topped 1,100 yards rushing in each of his final two seasons at Iowa State. While he didn’t produce elite athletic testing results at the combine, Montgomery finished the 2018 campaign with the most missed tackles forced (99) of any collegiate running back, as Ben Cooper of Pro Football Focus writes.

Chiacgo’s lone unsigned 2019 draft pick is now sixth-round cornerback Duke Shelley. Here’s the club’s draft class in full:

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