HOUSTON — The Houston Texans detonated the 2026 NFL trade market on Monday. General manager Nick Caserio engineered a pair of massive Houston Texans trades that completely altered the AFC title race. Houston acquired veteran running back David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in exchange for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs, plus fourth- and seventh-round picks. Minutes later, the Texans shipped starting right tackle Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round selection.
Reshaping the Trenches and the Backfield
Houston needed a physical bruiser to pair with Woody Marks. Montgomery fits the bill perfectly. The 28-year-old battered defenses for 1,790 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns during his first two explosive seasons in Detroit. Last year, Jahmyr Gibbs swallowed up the starting snaps, forcing Montgomery to the bench for all 17 games. Watch the tape from Detroit’s late-season push; you could physically feel Montgomery’s frustration radiating from the sideline as he waited for a chance that never came. Now, he gets a fresh start and a guaranteed workload. The stadium pulse in NRG Stadium just got a little heavier.
Cleveland threw a lifeline to its depleted offensive front. The Browns face a massive exodus of free agents in the trenches. New head coach Todd Monken and general manager Andrew Berry acted fast. Howard steps directly into the starting right tackle spot. The veteran blocker brings 93 regular-season starts to the dawg pound. Cleveland immediately rewarded him with a massive three-year, $63 million extension to anchor their offensive line.
“I just appreciate the support over the last seven years. I’ll always be a Texan forever. I’m excited to go to Cleveland and turn the city up and help change the program and win some games.”
— Tytus Howard, New Cleveland Browns Offensive Tackle
Playoff Implications / What’s Next
Detroit clears a logjam. Brad Holmes offloaded a disgruntled veteran to secure a plug-and-play interior lineman in Scruggs. The Lions shed $3.5 million in cap space, giving Gibbs the undisputed keys to the motor city backfield. Scruggs brings immediate nastiness to a Detroit line looking to re-establish dominance.
Houston clears massive cap space by moving Howard’s $28 million hit, while snagging a premier battering ram in Montgomery. The Texans offense looks incredibly potent heading into the 2026 draft. Caserio practically stole a starting-caliber back to relieve pressure off C.J. Stroud.
Cleveland makes the biggest gamble. Monken needs protection to run his deep-shot offense. Howard locks down the right edge, allowing the Browns to shift their focus away from offensive tackle at the No. 6 overall pick. Expect Cleveland to target a premier wideout or even Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson to execute Monken’s vision.