The Detroit Lions have found their David Montgomery replacement with former Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco. On paper, it looks like a great signing. Let’s talk about the good and the concerning things and give the deal a grade.

The Good

For starters, Pacheco fits the Lions in just about every way they’re looking for. He is an aggressive downhill runner who’s able to drop the shoulder and bowl some dudes over. He’s also been very good in the red zone, where, in 2023, before his 2024 injury, he was fifth in red zone rushing yards.

Speaking of that injury, he did break his fibula early on in 2024, but he came back that season and still played down the stretch and helped the Chiefs get to the Super Bowl. So he has that type of grit to return from an injury and be back with his teammates that Dan Campbell loves.

An underrated element here is that Pacheco is a really good pass-blocking running back who Pro Football Focus regularly grades out in the mid to high 60’s. This was notoriously something that Montgomery struggled mightily with. The Lions got a true upgrade in this department. I’m sure this isn’t even a spot Lions fans were thinking about. I know it wasn’t the first thing to cross my mind.

The other good thing is that the Lions aren’t investing too much here. This is a one-year deal for Pacheco, and if it works out, maybe they can grow off that. The door is still open to work on things with Sione Vaki and Jacob Saylors as well.

The Concerning

You’re not very likely to find a whole lot of players who have never been hurt before. But there are some guys who are able to come back from injuries and not miss a beat. If we’re judging Pacheco on that idea right now, he has missed a beat. He really struggled in 2025.

The good news here is that Pacheco doesn’t have to be the RB1. The Lions have their very good player there in Jahmyr Gibbs, and he can handle the majority of the work. That means Pacheco only needs to focus on what he’s good at right now.

Grade

The pass blocking element is really going to be overlooked, but it’s a big deal, and it’s one more thing that helps keep Jared Goff on his feet. The injury is concerning, but it would obviously be much more concerning if Pacheco were coming in to be the Lions’ main running back. I think this is a good fit for Detroit, but I also thought a rookie might be the best way to go. I’m going to give it a B-

Final grade: B-