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Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans takes the field before the AFC Divisional Playoffs against the New England Patriots.
Heading into the 2026 offseason, C.J. Stroud’s future with the Houston Texans remains uncertain, at least from the outside. But he may not be the only Texans QB to draw attention, with Davis Mills showing well in 2025 and a potential replacement on hand.
Mills is both Stroud’s predecessor and his current backup.
He is also entering the final season of his contract, setting the stage for a potentially franchise-altering decision for head coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio.
Davis Mills Linked to Trade to Join Former Texans
GettyDavis Mills #10 of the Houston Texans looks on after the game against the Buffalo Bills.
Mills, 27, was the 67th overall pick of the 2021 draft, and he started 26 of 28 career games for the Texans before they selected Stroud with the second-overall pick in 2023.
Mills stepped in for the Texans this past season, starting three games while Stroud recovered from a concussion. The former Stanford Cardinal completed 59.5% of his passes for 5 touchdowns and 1 interception during that span.
Given the uncertainty around Stroud, Mills could be difficult, but not impossible, to obtain.
“It’s hard to see the Texans trading Mills, whom they just gave a one-year, $7 million extension to continue providing effective QB2 play behind C.J. Stroud. But perhaps a strong offer could entice them to deal Mills, who is far from an exciting option at 28 years old but clearly is somewhere between the QB2 and QB1 worlds for quarterbacking quality,” ESPN’s Benjamin Solak wrote on February 10.
“His old offensive coordinator, Bobby Slowik, now coaches the Dolphins’ offense; Miami would need a new quarterback if it flips [Tua] Tagovailoa.”
The Texans face a dilemma. Mills has performed admirably, particularly this past season, but will also be on an expiring contract. He still views himself as a starter and could be an intriguing potential option for teams in free agency 2027.
Then, barring another extension, Mills could leave, and the Texans would receive nothing.
Moreover, the Texans drafted Graham Mertz out of Florida in the sixth-round last season, potentially positioning themselves to part ways with Mills for the right offer.
Texans Already Have Cautionary Tale
GettyDavis Mills #10 of the Houston Texans is interviewed following the 36-29 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
If the Texans are truly debating what to do regarding Mills and Stroud, they only need to look at their own recent history. The Texans acquired Brock Osweiler from the Denver Broncos in 2016, signing him to a four-year, $72 million contract.
Solak noted it was a “substantial contract at the time,” and that the Texans had to include “significant draft capital” to trade him to the Cleveland Browns one year later.
Osweiler had seven starts at that point in his career.
Mills has significantly more than that, and the Texans would know what they are getting if they were to commit to him again, perhaps long-term.
Texans Expected to Extend C.J. Stroud
GettyC.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans looks on before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert listed Stroud among the players he expects to receive a contract extension this offseason.
While not a clear-cut issue, nor one the Texans necessarily need to make this offseason, the decision could significantly impact their thinking about Mills. If the Texans plan on keeping Stroud, it would make all the more sense to capitalize on whatever value Mills may have.
Mills, like other teammates, has supported Stroud as the Texans’ starting QB.
It will take just one team to be interested enough in Mills to take a chance on him in a trade with the Texans. Moving him before deciding on Stroud’s future could also maintain interest.
Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He’s based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter
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