The Houston Texans saddled up Davis Mills as their starting quarterback in 2022.
The move could be interpreted as an easy way to seem competitive while sticking to the long-term plan of getting upfield to the 2023 offseason when the Texans’ salary cap space will be an asset in team building. If Houston’s proprietary draft picks are also blue-chip thanks to their poor record, it will have been worth allowing Mills a whole season as the starter.
However, the moves the Texans made along the offensive line suggest the club is trying to actually build around Mills — or at least provide him a fair shot at the starting job long-term.
The difference in how Mills performed under pressure versus in a clean pocket indicates the quarterback play in Houston improves with better investments along the offensive line.
According to Bryant Horn from Pro Football Focus, Mills had a clean-pocket passing grade of 75.1 compared to a 29.3 pressured-pocket passing grade. The difference of 45.8 ranked him third on the list in terms of quarterbacks most affected by pressure.
Mills threw for 519 yards across 97 pressured attempts, earning him a 60.5 passer rating. While he was a rookie last season, one factor in his poor presence under pressure, he averaged only 5.4 yards per attempt.
The Texans solved the offseason conundrum of whether Tytus Howard should play inside or at tackle by drafting Texas A&M’s Kenyon Green. One guard spot is solved, and Howard goes back to right tackle. Presumably the free agent acquisition of former Jacksonville Jaguars guard A.J. Cann solves another interior position. Houston also reworked left tackle Laremy Tunsil’s contract to give Mills a season of adequate blindside protection from a two-time Pro Bowler.
When Mills is able to go through his progressions, he has shown the ability to discern where the ball needs to go. The Texans used their offseason resources to cultivate more of these opportunities.
