The Texans have secured their backup quarterback for another year.
The defending AFC South champions have agreed to terms with quarterback Davis Mills, the backup to Pro Bowl passer C.J. Stroud, on a one-year, $5 million contract through the 2025 season, according to a league source. The deal has playtime incentives and his average per year is in the same range as other top backup quarterbacks, including Andy Dalton and Drew Lock.
A former third-round draft pick from Stanford, Mills was previously heading into the final year of his original rookie contract, a four-year, $5.217 million deal that included a $1.157 million signing bonus with a $3.116 million base salary this year.
Mills had an efficient preseason, completing 18 of 26 throws for 191 yards, one touchdown and zero interceptions. He looked more comfortable in the pocket as far as eluding pressure, going off-script and being decisive with the football.
He completed 10 of 13 passes for 102 yards and one touchdown for a 124.5 passer rating against the Chicago Bears in the Hall of Fame game.
“Davis did a really nice job, really commanding the offense, really being efficient in the passing game,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said afterr the Chicago game. .“I like what Davis did tonight and it’s something that he can continue to build on.”
Mills (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) has a 5-19-1 record as a starter, with all of those starts before the arrival of Ryans as the Texans had losing records in 2021 and 2022. He completed 18 of 39 passes for 173 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in six games played last season.
Mills’ comeback victory he engineered over the Indianapolis Colts in the final game of the 2022 season meant the Texans would draft second overall instead of first, and they used that pick to select Stroud, a Heisman Trophy finalist from Ohio State named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year last season.
Aaron Wilson is a contributor to Sports Talk 790.
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