Two years ago, Davis Mills was drafted in the third round out of Stanford University and a year later, he played 15 games for the Houston Texans, throwing 17 touchdowns and 15 interceptions to lead the team to a 3-11-1 record. The following season, Houston added CJ Stroud to their quarterback corps, drafting the highly-anticipated player in the first round and immediately naming him a starter. In his debut season, Mills developed into one of the best gunslingers in the league. This led to Mills being taken off the team, and the third-year veteran was benched and made into a backup. However, in 2024, Mills continues to perform well and is expected to be Stroud's clear backup when the season begins on September 8th.
Mills appeared in six games in relief of Stroud last season, throwing two touchdowns and zero interceptions, but started camp well, completing 10 of 13 attempts for one touchdown in the Hall of Fame game against the Chicago Bears and 8 of 13 for 89 yards in the second preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, he injured his ribs in that game and was forced to miss the third preseason game against the New York Giants.
Veteran Case Keenum, who is competing with Mills for the backup quarterback spot, missed the game and played extra practice, completing 5 of 6 attempts for 40 yards but is considered an inferior player to Mills, according to the Houston Chronicle. Not only does the former Cardinals quarterback have more experience in the current Texans system, he has also developed stronger connections with his receivers and looked sharper during practice. In the final year of his rookie contract and the loser of the position battle could face a trade, Mills will return for the final preseason game against the Rams hoping to make one last impression before the roster and Week 1 roster are finalized.
Mills wasn't thought of as the long-term answer for Houston, but he threw 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 13 games in his 2021 rookie season and continued his strong 2022 campaign, establishing himself as one of the league's most reliable backups. The Texans struggled both seasons and missed the playoffs, but Mills provided reassurance that he would be able to perform strong when needed. Mills has played in 34 games and started 26 in his career, throwing 35 touchdowns and 25 interceptions for a passer rating of 83.0.
Mills' best season at Stanford came in 2019, when he appeared in eight games (six starts) and threw for 1,960 yards, 11 touchdowns and five interceptions. After playing as KJ Costello's backup for the majority of his Cardinals career, Mills finally got a chance to become a full-time starter in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, starting all five games.
This will be a pivotal season for Mills as he fights for a new contract. While Mills may not play much this year if Stroud can stay healthy, his leadership will certainly be felt in the locker room and his presence will be invaluable for a team looking to make a second consecutive playoff appearance and win back-to-back AFC South titles for the first time since the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
