The Facts: Officially a running back and no longer a wide receiver masquerading as a ball-carrier, Montgomery made a few changes this offseason. He changed his eating habits. (No more counting calories.) He changed his mentality. (Greater confidence from a better understanding of the position.) He changed his locker. (No longer in the same neighborhood as Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Davante Adams.) As a result, as surreal as his change has been -- "I definitely didn't think I'd be, as of right now, the starter for an NFL team at the running back position," he said – he feels like a new man, despite his inexperience at his position.
Diehards Line:
And make no mistake about it. He's at the top of the depth chart after rushing for 457 yards and three touchdowns on just 77 carries (a 5.9-yard average) in the wake of his move last season. That production, combined with Eddie Lacy’s free agent departure and the team’s decision to cut veteran backups James Starks and Christine Michael, led HC Mike McCarthy to say following the draft that Montgomery is “absolutely” the team’s starting running back. McCarthy made that pronouncement even though general manager Ted Thompson drafted three of them (BYU’s Jamaal Williams, UTEP’s Aaron Jones and Utah State’s Devante Mays) and signed two more as undrafted free agents (Charlotte’s Kalif Phillips and Virginia Union’s William Stanback), creating competition that Montgomery acknowledges will drive him to continue proving himself. But for now, he's Packer running back to own.