Tag: davis mills

Texans HC DeMeco Ryans on Davis Mills extension: ‘He’s earned it’

Davis Mills earned his new contract with the Houston Texans after a promising preseason.

Why did the Houston Texans extend backup quarterback Davis Mills?

Simple: He’s proven his value as the clear-cut favorite to replace C.J. Stroud in case of an injury.

“Extending Davis is something that he earned,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday. “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.”

Mills, who was entering a contract year, agreed to terms on a one-year extension worth $5 million. The Texans believe he’s a top secondary option and can serve as a quality starter in a pinch should Stroud miss time.

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The first pick made in the Nick Caserio era, Mills was thrust into the starting role midseason under David Culley’s direction. Since being drafted out of Stanford, he’s played in 34 games and has 26 starts, posting a 5-20-1 record.

After the Texans drafted C.J. Stroud, Mills competed with veteran Case Keenum for the backup job. Keenum, a longtime journeyman in the league, suffered a season-ending foot injury during the preseason finale.

Mills saw little action last season and was benched in favor of Keenum when Stroud missed two games because of a concussion. That won’t be the case in 2024 since the Texans only have two passer currently on the active roster.

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The former No. 1 overall quarterback recruit had looked promsing in his second season of Bobby Slowik’s offense. In three three preseason games, Mill ended up completing 18 of 26 throws for 191 yards and a touchdown.

He looked more comfortable in the pocket and while throwing under duress. Several passes were from outside the pocket for first-down gains.

“Everything Davis has gotten, he’s earned,”  And he’s done a really great job for us this year.”

The Texans kickoff the new season on the road this Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts at noon CT.

Texans QB Davis Mills agrees to one-year contract extension

Davis Mills is sticking around the Houston Texans through the 2025 season on a new extension.

Davis Mills is here for the long haul.

Well, he’s at least here through 2024.

According to multiple reports, the Houston Texans and Mills have agreed to a one-year extension worth $5 million, keeping him on staff through the 2025 season. Mills has served as the Texans’ backup for two seasons and has been a serviceable starter since being drafted out of Stanford in 2021.

Entering his fourth season, Mills has played in 34 games and has 26 starts, posting a 5-20-1 record. After the Texans drafted C.J. Stroud, Mills competed with veteran Case Keenum for the backup job.

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Keenum, a longtime journeyman in the league, suffered a season-ending foot injury during the preseason finale. Mills saw little action last season and was benched in favor of Keenum when Stroud missed two games because of a concussion.

Now, he’s the first call well beyond 2024 if something were to happen to Stroud. That’s a positive given his play in training camp and the preseason this summer.

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The former No. 1 overall quarterback recruit had an efficient preseason, completing 18 of 26 throws for 191 yards and a touchdown. He looked more comfortable in the pocket and while throwing under duress.

Mills is now the second homegrown player signed under Nick Caserio. Wide receiver and fellow 2021 third-round pick Nico Collins agreed to a three-year, $72.5 million extension earlier this offseason.

The Texans travel to Indianapolis to face the Colts on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.

Texans QB Davis Mills out against New York Giants

Houston Texans backup quarterback Davis Mills is out for the team’s preseason contest against the New York Giants with bruised ribs.

The Houston Texans will play in front of the home crowd for the first time ahead of the 2024 season against the New York Giants but will have one notable admission.

Quarterback Davis Mills will not play due to a rib injury sustained in the Texans’ second preseason contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Mills, diagnosed with bruised ribs, had limited work throughout the week and did not practice at all on Thursday after initially being on the field at the start of the day.

Mills is expected to be the backup to C.J. Stroud in the 2024 season after putting together a solid training camp.

Mills, who started most of the 2021 and 2022 seasons, has put together promising results through two preseason games, completing 70% of his passes for 191 yards with one touchdown and no turnovers.

“He’s done a really good job for us all throughout training camp and the preseason, so [we] feel really good about Davis,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said. 

A third-round pick out of Stanford in 2021, Mills has started 26 games for Houston. While he never established himself as the team’s long-term answer, Mills has quietly transformed into one of the league’s top backups.

Mills’ ability to extend plays looks much improved from season’s past and it led to some of his best highlights during the first two preseason contests. 

His absence from Thursday’s practice sparked rumors of a potential trade with the Minnesota Vikings after losing rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy for the season to a meniscus injury, though it appears that Mills will be in Houston through the final year of his rookie contract.

Reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud, along with a majority of starters, are expected to play most of the first quarter against the NFC East franchise. From there, a combination of Case Keenum and Tim Boyle will conclude the game.

Texans training camp attendance: QB Davis Mills, DE Will Anderson Jr. miss practice

Among the rumors of trades, the Houston Texans are simply resting Davis Mills because of sore ribs.

With Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy out for the season after undergoing surgery Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, the rumors mill has caught fire.

Sam Darnold will start Week 1, but could Minnesota be in the market for another passer to compete for reps? If so, who are the top options?

Derek Carr?

Marcus Mariota?

Davis Mills?

Perhaps the Houston Texans could field calls for the fourth-year signal-caller if the Vikings become desperate, but Mills’ absence from Thursday’s walk-through had nothing to do with a potential trade. According to KPRC 2 Sports’ Aaron Wilson, Mills missed the last two practices after taking a hit to the ribs in Friday’s win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans confirmed following practice that Mills was fine.

“He’s done a really good job for us all throughout training camp and the preseason, so feel really good about Davis,” Ryans said Thursday.

Mills’ status for Saturday’s preseason home opener against the New York Giants remains a mystery. The Texans are expected to play starters and could even upgrade their playing time with another week of practice, though Ryans didn’t confirm how long starters would play at NRG Stadium once kickoff is underway at noon.

Mills is in line to take over as the Texans’ backup quarterback after a strong preseason. Through two games, Mills has completed 18-of-26 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown. He’s also improved with the ability to improvise under pressure while behind the line of scrimmage.

Defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (ankle) likely won’t take the field after missing another practice. He hasn’t taken reps since the team left for Canton to play in the Hall of Fame game, though he isn’t expected to miss the season opener against the Indianapolis Colts.

Some might have assumed that Anderson could miss an extended period after ESPN reported that the Texans were linked to New England pass rusher Matthew Judon. Houston and New England have done business in the past and Judon wants to play for a winning franchise to better his odds of a new deal entering a contract season.

Ultimately, the Atlanta Falcons gave up a third-round pick to land the 32-year-old. After signing Kirk Couisins this offseason, the Falcons are trying to win this year. If they agree to a long-term deal with Judon, they should keep their window open past 2024 under potential future franchise quarterback Michael Penix Jr.

Atlanta signed Justin Simmons to a one-year deal worth $8 million on Thursday afternoon. There were rumors that the Texans had offered a deal, but the two sides never met when the two-time Pro Bowler visited other teams earlier this month.

Anderson missing the preseason isn’t too concerning so long as he’s back to his 2023 ways by Week 4. Houston brought in Danielle Hunter as Jonathan Greenard’s replacement and he’s expected to put Pro Bowl-caliber numbers in Ryans’ front seven.

Other players not practicing and could miss Saturday’s game include cornerback Jeff Okudah, wide receiver Noah Brown, tight end Teagan Quitoriano, offensive tackle Charlie Heck, linebacker Christian Harris, wide receiver Ben Skowronek,  defensive tackle Tim Settle Jr., fullback Andrew Beck and safety M.J. Stewart.

Watch: Texans QB Davis Mills finds TE Teagan Quitoriano scores TD on opening drive

Texans tight end Teagan Quitoriano scores nine-yard touchdown on Houston’s opening drive of Hall of Fame Game.

The Houston Texans strike first in Canton.

Behind quarterback Davis Mills, Houston strung together a methodical 13-play, 69-yard drive resulting in a 9-yard touchdown pass to third-year tight end Teagan Quitoriano to take a 7-0 lead over the Chicago Bears in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

Mills looked left and extended outside the pocket before finding Quitoriano in front of the line to gain. The former Oregon State tight end escaped the nearest defender for the opening drive touchdown.

Mills completed 5-of-7 passes for 44 yards with Quitoriano catching two passes for 21 yards on the drive. Three other Texans caught a pass on the drive with the longest being Quitoriano’s 12-yard reception.

Houston converted a fourth-down on Chicago’s side of the field to continue the drive. Mills nearly connected with running back Dare Ogunbowale for a touchdown pass on a wheel route, but a defensive penalty restricted the Texans running back.

Houston is resting most of its starters, though poject starters Kenyon Green and Juice Scruggs were a part of the drive along with second-round pick Blake Fisher, Chris Reed and Nick Broeker.

The Texans will kickoff to begin the second half.

Texans hypothetical trade sends QB Davis Mills to Broncos

An NFL writer suggested the Houston Texans should send Davis Mills to the Denver Broncos this offseason.

The Houston Texans are no strangers to offseason trades.

Houston made three big ones during the first week of free agency. The Texans traded for running back Joe Mixon, traded away defensive tackle Maliek Collins and then traded out of the first round of the NFL draft.

And now, the 33rd Team’s Ian Valentino thinks Houston could make another trade. Valentino wrote that the Texans should trade quarterback Davis Mills to the Denver Broncos for a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick.

“The 26-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the Denver Broncos are the only team in the league without a somewhat viable passer on the roster,” Valentino added. “Mills has been a below-average but respectable presence in 34 games. He doesn’t create high-end plays but avoids disastrous ones well enough. A conditional selection that maxes out as a fourth-round pick would allow Denver to be somewhat functional, even if a rookie doesn’t fall into their lap.”

This would be a low-risk, low-reward trade for Houston. Mills was a serviceable backup for C.J. Stroud in 2023 who threw two touchdowns in relief of Case Keenum in the Week 16 loss to the Cleveland Browns. Keenum earned the start over Mills for both of the games Stroud missed with a concussion and beat the Tennessee Titans in Week 15, so he’s already ahead of Mills in the depth chart.

The prospect of earning as high as a fourth for Mills would be enticing for general manager Nick Caserio. Mills likely won’t be re-signed in 2025, but his NFL experience in a backup capacity is valuable — for both Houston and another team.

Whether or not this actually manifests itself remains to be seen, though.

Texans’ Davis Mills says he has improved as a quarterback

Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills believes that he has shown improvement at the position over the past year.

Davis Mills hasn’t claimed a start for the Houston Texans since Jan. 8, but the third-year quarterback believes he has improved in that span.

Rookie C.J. Stroud has started all 13 games for Houston this season, but Mills may have to relieve the No. 2 overall pick, who remains in concussion protocol following the Texans’ 30-6 loss to the New York Jets in Week 14.

With the 7-6 Texans facing the Tennessee Titans on the road, Mills addressed the curiosity concerning how he has grown as a quarterback in nearly a year.

“I don’t know if you’re looking for specifics, but pretty much all around,” Mills said via Aaron Wilson of KPRC-TV. “Try to make myself a complete quarterback, go out there and make plays. That’s pretty much what it boils down to. It’s about efficiency and spreading the ball around to the offense and letting playmakers make plays.”

The last time Mills faced the Titans on the road was Week 16 last season and delivered a 19-14 win. The former third-rounder from Stanford went 17-of-28 for 178 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.

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How much ground are Texans losing with QB Davis Mills?

The Houston Texans are no doubt getting a downgrade at QB in Week 15, but how far is the chasm between C.J. Stroud and Davis Mills?

When an NFL team goes from their starting quarterback to second string, they have to adjust to a stepdown at the position.

Such is the case with the Houston Texans. As rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud is stuck in the concussion protocol, the Texans will rely on third-year Davis Mills to guide the offense against the Tennessee Titans in Week 15.

According to Cody Benjamin from CBS Sports, the Texans are going to put the 24th-best quarterback under center at Nissan Stadium for the 12:00 p.m. Central Time kickoff.

C.J. Stroud would represent the Texans in the top 10, but the standout rookie is in concussion protocol after exiting Week 14 against the Jets. Mills, meanwhile, has plenty of starting experience, but he’s been more prone to untimely giveaways.

From top-10 to No. 24 — such is the perception of talent lost between Stroud and Mills.

The former third-rounder from Stanford went 17-of-28 for 178 yards, a touchdown, and an interception in Houston’s 19-14 win over Tennessee last year in Week 16 at Nissan Stadium. Mills has shown the ability to beat the Titans on the road in December once before.

Across the rest of the AFC South, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence came in at No. 13 with the Tennessee Titans’ Will Levis following directly behind. The Indianapolis Colts’ Gardner Minshew was No. 22.

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DeMeco Ryans says QB Davis Mills has done ‘good job’ with what Texans have asked

Coach DeMeco Ryans says Houston Texans QB Davis Mills has met his requirements for what the team has asked him to do throughout 2023.

DeMeco Ryans’ new era Houston Texans may have to borrow from the frustrating past to get through Week 15.

Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud may be down with a concussion as the Texans face the Tennessee Titans Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time at Nissan Stadium. If so, Houston will start former 2021 third-rounder Davis Mills for the 27th time.

While much outside focus has been on Stroud, internal attention has been given to Mills, like every player, throughout the year.

Ryans knows what the Texans have.

“Davis has done a good job with everything that we’ve asked him to do,” Ryans told reporters Wednesday. “He’s done a really good job of just leading in his own right, just seeing him on our scout team, just seeing how he helps out — helps us out with the defensive looks. He’s done a really good job of what he’s been asked to do.”

Mills will be asked to lead Houston to a win over the Titans and keep the Texans’ playoff hopes alive. At 7-6, the Texans are part of the “in the hunt” category and are the provisional No. 8 seed — meaning they would miss the playoffs.

The former Stanford product led Houston to a 19-14 victory over Tennessee in Week 16 last season when the Titans were 7-7 and grasping on their evaporating lead in the AFC South. The loss helped Tennessee falter in Week 18 and lose their division lead and playoff spot entirely.

Experience can be the best teacher.

Said Ryans: “If you’ve been there, you’ve done it and you’re not making the moment bigger than it should be. Experience helps us all. So, you would like to think that experience would definitely help out.”

Mills went 17-of-28 for 178 yards, a touchdown, an interception, and posted a 72.6 passer rating in the win over Tennessee.

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Texans fans react to QB Davis Mills leading first team offense

Houston Texans fans weren’t too pleased to hear Davis Mills was leading the first team offense on Wednesday.

The Houston Texans had a great thing going with rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, and then a concussion hit when the No. 2 overall pick took a sack against the New York Jets in Week 14.

Stroud went from the MetLife Stadium surface to concussion protocol. Third-year Davis Mills, an emblem of the franchise’s on-field struggles the past two seasons, finished out the game. The former 2021 third-rounder may also start at the Tennessee Titans Sunday at 12:00 p.m. Central Time if Stroud isn’t able to clear protocol.

Midweek indications are Stroud won’t. Mills was spotted taking the first team snaps.

Here are some of the best social media reactions to come from Texans fans, who are no doubt heartbroken at the possibility of not having Stroud under center in Week 15.

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