Texans QB Davis Mills agrees to one-year, $5 million extension through 2025: ‘The backup position is extremely valuable’

HOUSTON – The Texans have secured their backup quarterback for another year, securing a valuable insurance policy behind starter and Pro Bowl passer C.J. Stroud.

The defending AFC South champions signed quarterback Davis Mills, Stroud’s backup to 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.

“I think the backup position is extremely valuable,” Mills said. “I’m being biased, but I think if you look at the stats, 60-plus quarterbacks started games last year. So, anything can happen. That’s the mindset I’ve carried ever since I got here, preparing every day like you are the starter. If you ever get your shot, don’t break your stride and you keep the offense rolling. You’ve got to be on your job and run the offense efficiently.”

Mills had a crisp 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.

“Extending Davis is something that he earned,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Davis had a really great training camp. We saw big-time improvement from last year to this year. Thought he handled camp really well, playing some of his best ball in training camp and he went out and proved it in his snaps that he was able to get in the preseason. So, everything Davis has gotten, he’s earned. And he’s done a really great job for us this year.”

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.

The rapport and friendship between Mills and Stroud keeps growing each year.

“Me and Davis have created a great relationship when I first came in,” Stroud said. “He’s always been really quiet, but, as time has went on, he’s definitely helped me out a ton. He helps me out not only on the field, but off. We have our little dinners and whatnot and just being able to talk to him and his wife and see where they come from and just really have brotherhood and fellowship has been amazing in that quarterback room, which I think is huge.

“So, I’m very excited for him, very happy for him. He’s grown as a player in my opinion, just in this offense, of owning it, owning his role and doing the things for the team to get better. I’m very happy and proud of him.”

Why sign a backup deal in Houston rather than perhaps look for an opportunity to compete elsewhere? It’s a fair question. It comes back to Mills being happy where his cleats are and having made a home in Houston.

“I think I’m still young in my career,” Mills said. “Hopefully, opportunities down the road will come. As of now, I’m really focused on what’s going on with the Texans organization and what I can do right here to make my teammates around me better and make myself better every day. Houston has been great to be. It’s been a lot of fun seeing how the team has progressed and I’m glad to be a part of it.”

It was evident during the entire preseason how much Mills has improved. He was sharper and more commanding. He appeared to be a bit more vocal than the past. And he played a lot faster, operating the offense like a basketball point guard.

“Thank you, I think the big thing is this is my first season in the same scheme two years in a row,” Mills said. “A lot of that builds on itself. My mindset always has been to go out there and react, play quarterback, be a facilitator. Everything is going to happen post-snap. A lot of our progressions are based on, if the first guy isn’t open, get through it and be efficient.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com