'Nothing is Going to Change': Davis Mills Will Compete C.J. Stroud For Texans QB Job

The Texans may have taken their presumed QB of the future is C.J. Stroud, but that doesn't mean that Davis Mills is giving up without a fight.

Matt Galatzan | May 23, 2023

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Houston Texans

HOUSTON - Last month, the Houston Texans drafted Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 overall pick, presumably, cementing him as their future plan at the position.

However, incumbent starter Davis Mills is still on the roster, and based on what he said on Tuesday, he does not intend on handing the job over to Stroud without a fight.

"I'm still competing for that starting job," Mills said on Tuesday. "I mean, since I was drafted into the NFL I've been in a competition. I don't think anything is going to change. It's been great to get to know C.J. [Stroud]. He's a great guy."

Last season, Mills left a lot to be desired under center, finishing the year with the third-lowest quarterback rating among qualified players in the entire NFL - ahead of only Jets QB Zach Wilson, and Steelers rookie, Kenny Pickett.

For the year, Mills played in 15 games, completing 292 of 479 passes for 3,118 yards and 17 touchdowns, with 15 interceptions - all marked regressions after a solid rookie campaign.

To make things worse, Mills is just 5-19-1 as a starter for Houston.

However, with the addition of Stroud, Mills is now more motivated than ever to turn things around and hold on to his job. And rightfully so, with his career now potentially on the line.

“A lot of it I think I’ve always been a very self-motivated person," Mills said. "I want to be the best player I can be. Obviously, this is kind of another stress factor kind of pushing me to be my best.”

Mills will get his chance to prove himself as OTAs begin for the Texans. However, he will not have much room for error, as the coaching staff, fans, and front office, are all itching to see Stroud, the future face of the franchise, turn the team back into a contender.

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Published May 23, 2023

MATT GALATZAN

Matt Galatzan the Editor-In-Chief of TexansDaily.com. Galatzan graduated from the University of Mississippi, where he studied integrated marketing communications, with minors in journalism and business administration. Galatzan started in the sports journalism industry under Mike Fisher at DallasBasketball.com in 2014, which at the time was part of the 247Sports network. He also spent two years covering the SMU Mustangs for PonyStampede.com on the 247Sports network. When DallasBasketball.com and CowboysCountry.com moved over to Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation network in 2020, Galatzan followed suit, eventually being taking over as the Managing Editor and Publisher of LonghornsCountry.com and AllAggies.com a year later. Through the years, Galatzan has conducted a handful of high-profile one-on-one interviews to add to his resume — in both writing and podcasting. Some of his biggest interviews have been with Mavs owner Mark Cuban, former Longhorns players Dan Neil and Phil Dawson, and many other recruits, and current/former players for each of the teams he has covered. Galatzan is also a full-time employee in the digital media department for Audacy and KRLD FM's 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, which is the official radio home of the Dallas Cowboys. You can find Galatzan on all major social media channels. For any inquiries, please email matt.galatzan@gmail.com