Allen Park — A couple days into the team’s first set of organized activates, Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker had yet to meet David Montgomery. Still, the new running back’s reputation was preceding him.
“Obviously, I know of him from his time in Chicago,” Decker said. “I mean, the guy is a playmaker. Durable, a lot of carries, strong. I’ve seen our guys try to tackle him, and it’s gonna be fun to see that kind of 1-2 punch (with D’Andre Swift). I’ve seen it from the opposite perspective of what he can do and it’s going to be fun for us as a line to be able to try and get that guy to the second level.
“I haven’t even met yet but I’ve heard that he’s kind of the guy that — he’s got like a productive paranoia about him. That’s kind of what I’ve heard. He’s always trying to be responsible with discipline, professional, always trying to find a way to get better. That’s what I’ve heard from a coach that I know that was in Chicago. Does it surprise me that we signed a guy like that? No. It sounds like personality-wise and mindset, he is the cookie cutter for what we want here.”
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown got to know Montgomery a little bit last year through his brother Equanimeous, who played with the running back in Chicago. The three, along with Lions running back Jermar Jefferson, would link up and play video games together during the season.
Equanimeous also provided an encouraging scouting report on what the Lions are getting in Montgomery.
“I had already talked to David before and my brother told me, he’s been doing crazy stuff in practice, the jukes he does, like, you just can’t tackle him,” St. Brown said. “So I already knew he was that guy, and then we played him and watched his tape and you see David out there. He’s a baller. I’m excited to see what he does.”
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers