Texans see "three-down back" in David Montgomery

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David Montgomery went from the No. 1 back in Detroit to playing second fiddle to Jahmyr Gibbs over the last three seasons, but the Texans still think Montgomery is capable of being the lead back in an offensive attack. The Texans traded for Montgomery early in the offseason in an attempt to bolster a rushing attack that finished 22nd in the league in yards last season. Running backs coach and assistant head coach Danny Barrett said that he sees Montgomery playing a big role in the bid to change those fortunes. “He’s a three-down back ,” Barrett said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. “He can do it all. It first starts with his mentality. He comes to work every day, same guy every day. How can I get better? The first meeting we had, we talked about how can we get better. He wants to be the best. Leave a mark on the game, but also helping the young guys develop that mindset. He’s going to finish every run. He’s going to finish every block. And it’s just that type of mentality that he’s brought to our room that’s going to carry us to the next level with the talent that we have." Woody Marks led the Texans in rushing as a rookie last season, but he doesn't profile as the same kind of threat that Gibbs has become in Detroit. That leaves plenty of room for Montgomery to put his stamp on the backfield in Houston and the Texans hope it will be part of an offensive surge this fall.