The NFL world was caught by surprise on Monday morning when it was announced that the Detroit Lions were trading star running back David Montgomery to the Houston Texans. It was expected that Montgomery could be available, but seeing him traded rather than outright released was a surprise.
Now that Monty has been traded, it affects the Atlanta Falcons in multiple ways: On one hand, his trade opens the door for Jahmyr Gibbs to inherit a higher snap share, which means that his extra backfield responsibilities could be the reason he makes more money than Bijan Robinson on a new contract extension. But this trade could also turn out to affect Tyler Allgeier's free agent prospects.
In a stacked free agent RB class, Allgeier is in line to be one of the better values that RB-needy teams like the Lions can consider signing. The 25-year-old is fresh off of a season where he logged eight rushing touchdowns, and as a 225-pound back, he could become the new Knuckles to Gibbs' Sonic.
The Detroit Lions could be in on Tyler Allgeier after trading David Montgomery to Houston
Dan Campbell is a big believer in the dual-running back system, which could see him look to replace Montgomery with an RB with the same skillset. Like Monty, Allgeier is best as a short-yardage goal -line back, which is the same role that both Montgomery and Jamaal Williams thrived in for the Lions.
The only issue with this proposed landing spot is that the main reason the 25-year-old wants to leave Atlanta in the first place is to get out of Bijan's shadow. Odds are that he wants to pursue a larger role, or perhaps a starting RB opportunity, but he would be utilized in basically the same way in Detroit.
The BYU product is capable of leading a backfield if need be too. He surpassed 1,000 rushing yards as a rookie in 2022, but was relegated to a supporting role after the Dirty Birds drafted Bijan. So if god forbid Gibbs gets injured or is having a rough game, Allgeier can be the guy to wear defenses down.
The Lions are a run-heavy offense, so despite their many issues on the offensive line, it's one of the better situations Allgeier can enter. They boast one of the most talented offensive skill groups in the NFL, so for the first time in his career, he would have a shot at making the playoffs if he signs there.
Given they are about to extend Gibbs, Brad Holmes likely doesn't want to break the bank on a free agent RB, so if Detroit can lure Allgeier away from Atlanta at a semi-affordable price, he would be foolish not to consider an opportunity to be Gibbs' new backfield mate as the new Montgomery.