HOUSTON — At the combine last month, coach DeMeco Ryans made it clear during an interview with the NFL Network what he wanted improved in free agency.

The run game.

So far, the Houston Texans have tried to address the issue through trades and free agency to overhaul a run game (108.9 yards per game) that ranked 22nd last season and was tied for fourth worst at 3.9 yards per carry.

The work started via trade. Earlier this month, Houston traded starting offensive lineman Tytus Howard to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round draft pick while acquiring running back David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions on the same day. To get the deal done, Houston sent a fourth-round pick, a 2027 seventh-round pick and 2023 second-round pick Juice Scruggsto the Lions.

Montgomery has rushed for 6,115 yards and 59 touchdowns in seven seasons since the Chicago Bearsselected him in the second round in 2019. He spent the past three seasons with the Lions but was reportedly unhappy about his reduced role in 2025 while playing alongside three-time Pro Bowler Jahmyr Gibbs in the backfield. When meeting with local media, Montgomery admitted that “Houston was definitely the place” he wanted to go if the Lions traded him.

Now, the former Lion steps in as the No. 1 running back after Houston released veteran Joe Mixon, whomissed the 2025 season with a foot injury. After making a Pro Bowl with the Texans in 2024, Mixon suffered a foot injury during the offseason that caused him to miss all of the team’s offseason workouts and training camp.

“I want to bring a level of compassion that’s infectious,” Montgomery said. “I want everybody around me to feel what I’m going to feel. That nickname [Knuckles] I had was, it was a part of who I was in my game, but I also feel like it’s another level of my game that I’m able to showcase and let the world know.”

The nickname Montgomery is referring to comes from the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. Gibbs was nicknamed Sonic alongside Montgomery because Sonic was known for his speed, and Knuckles was known for his strength.

Houston hopes to get that kind of physical rushing style to pair with Woody Marks, the team’s leading rusher (703 yards) last season as a rookie, for offensive coordinator Nick Caley’s unit.

Houston was able to re-sign right guard Ed Ingram, and swing tackle Trent Brown before free agency began to help pave the way for the run game. Then through the first two weeks of free agency, the Texans added former Indianapolis Colts right tackle Braden Smith, former Arizona CardinalsguardEvan Brownand former Browns two-time All-Pro guard Wyatt Teller.

Jake Andrewsstarted 16 games in 2025 at center, but that’s a position they could upgrade. Whether they do that or not, though, the offensive line could have three to four new starters.

“I think us being able to learn each other is the most important thing,” Montgomery said of the offensive line, “because I want to be able to establish an authentic and an organic relationship with those guys where they can trust me and I can trust them too. So, I’m excited to get around them.”

Montgomery liked what he saw last season in the offensive line, as did general manager Nick Caserio.

In the passing game, Houston had an underwhelming 2024 season. Quarterback C.J. Stroud was sacked 52 times, but in 2025, Stroud was sacked 23 times, a career low.

“I would say as it pertains to the offensive line, honestly, it’s probably one of the best years we had since I’ve been there,” Caserio said at the combine. “I think we gave up the least amount of sacks, or second [fewest] in the history of the organization. We had the most improvement from a sack production from one year to the next. I think it was us and the Bears. Honestly, our offensive line actually played pretty good last year.

“But we’re going to look at who we feel are the best players that we think are going to help us and try to put together a good team.”

So far, Caserio has re-tooled the line, but he and Ryans know that an elevated run game could also help out the offense and, in particular, his franchise quarterback.br/]

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