David Montgomery tested free agency this offseason and signed a 3-year, $18 million contract with the Detroit Lions, with $11 million guaranteed. A fan favorite in Chicago, Poles made it clear that the team tried to retain Montgomery.
Montgomery gave us four physical years in a Chicago Bears uniform, with over 800 rushing yards in each of his four seasons, including over 1,000 in 2020. A third-round pick out of Iowa State, Montgomery ascended to starting running back after Tarik Cohen suffered an injury in the 2020 campaign. After the 2022 season, where the Bears finished last in the NFL at 3-14, Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus made it clear that change was coming.
The Bears signed D’Onta Foreman to a 1-year, $3 million contract and Travis Homer to a 2-year, $4 million contract. The Bears also have Khalil Hervert on a rookie deal with a cap hit of less than a million dollars this year. Basic math shows the Bears are paying three starting-caliber running backs under $8 million per year. It’s not to say that the Bears didn’t trust or like Montgomery, because what he brought to the table is a talent very few have in the NFL.
Ryan Poles had this to say about Montgomery at the NFL Owners’ Meeting in Arizona, “Players do have a choice. 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. I thought we did a good job.”
It’s clear that Poles loved the play and character displayed by Montgomery, but they are trying to build a roster with many holes, and filling other needs makes the most sense.
It’ll be tough to see Montgomery sporting the Honolulu blue uniforms next year in Detroit, but we cannot say thank you enough to Montgomery for his time in a Bears uniform.
