HOUSTON — Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio emphasized quarterback C.J. Stroud would earn the starting job; it simply wouldn’t be handed to him due to his status as the No. 2 overall pick.
During the rookie minicamp and organized team activities, the team reiterated adherence to competition. Third-year veteran quarterback Davis Mills took first-team reps when the Texans started training camp to give off the façade that there was an actual competition.
That lasted about two weeks before Stroud started to distance himself by putting together consecutive days of improvement and has taken all the first-team reps over the last three practices.
At one point on Monday during team drills, Case Keenum, who many consider the third-team quarterback, took second-team reps as Mills watched from the sidelines. There didn’t seem to be any apparent injury Mills sustained throughout practice. Although no official update was given on why he stood next to offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik throughout the drill as Keenum directed the offense, the absence generates curiosity.
Throw in Stroud being named the starter against the New England Patriots in the preseason opener Thursday night, and it seems to be the beginning of the end for Mills in Houston.
Mills was the Texans’ first selection in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft and started 11 games. Tyrod Taylor was shuffled in and out of the lineup due to injuries and ineffectiveness. The Texans gave Mills the reins in 2022, but had a 17-15 touchdown to interception ratio along with a 78.8 passer rating.
Even though Houston picked Stroud, Mills wanted an opportunity to impress Ryans and Slowik during training camp, and he did in spurts with the second unit. Nevertheless inconsistency prevailed when Mills worked with the first team.
One may conclude that the pressure and expectations are lowered for him when he is under center with the backups. It may be easier to process everything around him when the added weight of being a starter is taken off his shoulders.
“My biggest focus is just going out there and doing the best I can do to show the coaches what I can do and go out there and perform,” Mills told reporters after practice on July 28.
The competition has run its course, with Stroud settling in as the starter and Mills as the backup. Depending on what happens during the preseason, some teams needing a placeholder at the quarterback position while their starter recovers from injury could inquire about a possible trade for the former Stanford quarterback.
