The Houston Texans have locked in backup quarterback Davis Mills with a one-year, $7 million extension that secures his spot through the 2026 season. This move places him among the NFL’s highest-paid backups—and, for Cecil Shorts III, it speaks volumes.
“Seems like they really trust him. He had a really good camp and preseason. Turning into a solid backup and pro.”
This is what former Texans wide receiver, who is now the Texans' gameday emcee and host of the Bleav in Texans podcast, had to say when he spoke exclusively to The Sporting News about Mills’ extension. However, ironically, Mills’ play from 2023 may have set him up for his current position.
On January 8, 2023—a day that would alter the Texans’ future—the team entered the final game of another difficult season, still unsure about the quarterback position. Davis Mills, the 2021 third-round pick out of Stanford, had opportunities to secure the starting role throughout 2022 but couldn’t consistently do so. That day, Mills threw for just under 300 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, leading the team to a 32-31 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
This win shifted the Texans from owning the number one pick to the number two pick in the upcoming 2023 draft. As a result, they were no longer able to choose between Alabama quarterback Bryce Young or Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud. When the Carolina Panthers, having traded for the first overall pick, selected Young, Stroud became available for Houston at the second overall pick. From that point, Mills transitioned to being Stroud’s primary backup. Over the last couple of seasons, Mills has managed to avoid release or trade and has performed well enough to hold off competition from rookie Graham Mertz, whom the Texans kept after drafting in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft to compete for the backup spot.
Mills’ career trajectory has been intriguing. The Texans clearly value him now as Stroud’s trusted backup, showing just how quickly circumstances can change in two years.