So he is going to have back to back pro type seasons and be one of the passing td leaders and then sign a deal that is making around the same annually as Daniel jones? If he does what you are suggesting, he will want closer to 50 if not over 50.
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Hopefully we use him correctly and let him get in a grove punishing defenses. Chicago would switch him out with Herbert trying to get cute.
This, along with their oline, and their QB who runs the ball as much as a running back severely diminished his opportunities.
This move shocked me. As in I did not believe this at first. I cannot believe Chicago ler David walk and I cannot believe we are cutting Jamaal loose. This needs a little closer look:
First Jamaal turns 28 in a couple days and David is 26 in June. Both backs are fairly healthy guys. These guys have a remarkably close career rushing average (Jamaal at 4.0 YPC ad David is at 3.9 YPC). Jamaal actually has more career receptions than David (160 to 155). Detroit choose to not use Jamaal as a receiver overall, esp. in 2022.
This is where stats can be misleading overall and I am not sur why Chicago let David walk. The Bears suck and their OL is shit. Everytime I watched the Bears my thought was always that David was a tough, tough runner and guys around him were not playing up to his level. I had David on my Lions League fantasy team in 2021 and I believe I won the league that season (or did really well).
I would not have paid Jamaal that amount of $ but I am okay with paying David that kind of $ because I think David is a better running back despite the #s being very similar. I think Chicago made a mistake letting David walk and I think Jamaal maybe made a mistake IF the Lions made a reasonable offer and Jamaal walked away? We don’t know what happened but I have a hard time believing we let Jamaal walk with no contract offer.
David was the best player on a shit team and in 2022 Jamaal cashed in on running behind a very good OL and Jamaal was maybe the 7th best player on offense for the Lions? I would put Ragnow, Sewell, Decker, Jackson, Amon Ra and Goff all ahead of Jamaal in terms of football skills at their positions. Hell, maybe even Swift if not for the injuries. BIG difference there.
Chicago had the $ so why not an offer to keep David? I don’t know. Why did Green Bay let Jamaal go in the first place? GMs make mistakes (like Quinn letting Glasgow walk and replaced him with an outsider, Vaitai for example).
I am really glad David is here as I think he is better than Jamaal. The Bears have a new GM in place and I have to think he is making a mistake day one by trading out of the 1st overall pick as he has tied his fate to Justin Fields. The Bears were last in the league in sacks in 2022. Last. On offense the Bears were 28th in sacks given up. 28th. Bad. They drafted CB and safety early in 2022 (decisions I liked0 and they spend large dollars at LBer in 2023 which I LOVE as their DL sucks. Nothing exposes a LBer faster than a bad DL (which Chicago has).
Chicago picked up a fine WR by dropping back to #9 OA but they gave up the chance to draft Anderson who would have been a very, very nice edge piece for them. If they go OL I get it but damn, that DL sucks. And now they let a solid RB go to save a few bucks while keeping Fields?
As a Lions fan I am crazy happy the Bears didn’t trade Fields and sign Javon Hargrave for example. I am not scared of a team with great LBers ad a shit DL and they have done nothing meaningful to address the DL. Oh well.
I think David is better than Jamaal and while I am shocked I like this move as I think we are a better football team because of a deal like this.
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could be BS media talk, because I thought JW said he would come back for less , and that he loved playing in Detroit.
Yep, undoubtedly.
That is because Jamaal has played more seasons. On a yearly basis, Jamaal averaged 27 receptions per year, while Montgomery averaged 39. DM is also better at converting attempts into completions.
I posted this in another thread from an end of the year review on Bears insider: Running Back (C+)
David Montgomery started more games this year than in any other season in his career, but he also finished worse in almost every category. Again, the offensive line carries partial blame for some of his woes, but Montgomery’s backup, Khalil Herbert, struggled less. Herbert exceeded Montgomery’s yards-per-attempt by nearly two yards and came up only one touchdown shy of the four-year veteran despite 72 fewer carries.
I believe the Bears will move on from Montgomery this off-season. They could run the ball with Herbert as the starter or take a crack at someone like Saquon Barkley in free agency.
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So what will be interesting is if JWill is asking $10M/yr and ends up no team wants to pay that.
By asking for that up front he may have priced himself out of the team he said he wanted to come back to. I think he basically forced Holmes and Dan to make the decision to go after DMont
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Great post Jersey.
Herbert had a solid season for the Bears for sure. 129 carries for a healthy 5.7 YPC. Solid. MUCH better than David Montgomery. And the Bears signed a 3rd down back and the Bears signed ROG Nate Davis from the Titans. Interesting. BUT…there is a BIG difference between being a lead dog ad a change of pace guy, ESP. with a running QB at the helm. Chicago clearly is thinking they already have David’s in house replacement and hell, maybe they are eying Bijon too?
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He will now have to back off of that. He lost major leverage by us signing DM.
JWill: Hey, I just broke Barry Sanders’ record, you have to pay me
BH: Well go find out what you’re worth. Remember you are 28 YO.
JWill: OK, I’m worth 30M/yr for 3 years
BH: …
JWill: I’m asking for 30M/3years
Other GM’s: …
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Yea, I am willing to bet he ends up at $6M/yr for 2 years with some team
I just don’t see anyone paying him more and for 3 years
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Excellent.
The Lions RB room improved with the Montgomery signing, Bears pick or fa signing doesn’t impact this at all for me.
That would make it even better. You can get similar players in rounds 2 and even 3.
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I understand this thinking.
however, the culture and other values start with the head coach not JWilliams, that isn’t a shot or negating his value beyond the field but losing him doesn’t mean the culture is going to be lost. If that was true, I would argue the culture message was pretty shallow.
At the end of the day the RB room got better with this signing.
In some ways we, not pointed at you personally, are slighting Montgomery potential influence on the team. He can be a positive influence in the culture department as well, albeit differently than Jwill but that isn’t a bad thing.
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Jonah Jackson
Ragnow
St. Brown
Goff
David Montgomery
We have exceptional leaders on this team. I’m not paying JW 10 mill a season
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This, all day long.
Yes, I’m late to the thread and responding as I read through it.
It starts with Dan Campbell:
The culture
O Scheme
D Scheme
He is more than a meathead, he is getting better at being a coach as well. Willing to make tough decisions in the season and admits when he ■■■■■ up.
So impressed with this guy, so genuine. Partnered with Holmes and both hired by Sheila/Chris/Rod separately. Just amazing what seems to be growing/building in Detroit.
Yes, I know, win the division, win a playoff game, win a title.
50+ years and most excited I can recall.
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Excellent point.
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I’m ambivalent about Poles’ moves. Hate the Edmunds signing and the Claypool trade but otherwise he’s done fine. But damn he’s the most Instagram gm ever. Dude thinks he’s pretty awesome.
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With our OL I could gain at least a yard or two. 
Numbers are in. True $18M/3yr contract and in typical Lions fashion . . . cash is paid fairly ratably and there is a void year.
| Signing | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signing/ | Base | Per Game | Cash | Bonus | Salary | |
| Year | Option | Salary | Bonus | Paid | Amortization | Cap Charge |
| 2023 | 4,500,000 | 1,250,000 | 500,000 | 6,250,000 | 1,125,000 | 2,875,000 |
| 2024 | - | 5,250,000 | 500,000 | 5,750,000 | 1,125,000 | 6,875,000 |
| 2025 | - | 5,500,000 | 500,000 | 6,000,000 | 1,125,000 | 7,125,000 |
| 2026 | 1,125,000 | 1,125,000 | ||||
| Total | 4,500,000 | 12,000,000 | 1,500,000 | 18,000,000 | 4,500,000 | 18,000,000 |
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Montgomery is a younger better version of Jamaal. Running behind a far superior OL, with WRs who block, I would expect that his YPA would increase into the 4.5+ range for the first time in his career.
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David’s not as goofy but he seems to be big hearted just like Jamaal.
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