Lions running back David Montgomery on track to return vs. Commanders: 'I'm confident'

Nolan Bianchi, The Detroit News on Jan 14, 2025

Published in Football

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DETROIT — The Detroit Lions will welcome back an important member of their offense at practice this week.

Running back David Montgomery (knee) and cornerback Terrion Arnold (foot) were listed as full participants on Tuesday's practice report. The team held a walkthrough to begin the week of preparation for Saturday night's prime-time meeting with the Washington Commanders, but provided an estimated report with injury designations.

"I'm confident," Montgomery said Tuesday night. "I mean, I wouldn't be out there if I wasn't ready. So I’m confident I'm ready to go, really."

Montgomery suffered a serious knee injury in the team's Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The team initially believed his season was over, but got encouraging outside opinions that opened the door for his return.

Lions coach Dan Campbell seemed confident Montgomery would be able to make his return in Saturday's game against the Commanders, and being listed as a full participant on the practice report is the first step toward making that hope a reality. Before the injury, Montgomery had totaled 1,116 yards from scrimmage (775 rushing) and 12 touchdowns over 14 games.

On the flip side, several Lions players were listed as "no practice" coming off an extra week of recovery. Right guard Kevin Zeitler (hamstring), cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (hamstring/illness) and defensive lineman Pat O'Connor (calf) were all listed as nonparticipants on the report.

Losing Zeitler would be a massive blow entering the playoffs. Zeitler, a free-agent acquisition last offseason, has been a significant addition to one of the league's best offensive lines.

Still, the silver lining is that Arnold, who appeared to suffer a nasty injury during Detroit's Week 18 win over the Minnesota Vikings and was spotted in a walking boot after the game, is trending toward being available for the Lions' opening-round matchup.