Texans' Davis Mills Trade Buzz Gains Momentum

It looks like the Houston Texans could be in the business of trading their backup quarterback down the line this offseason.

According to a new combine notebook from ESPN's Dan Graziano, Texans quarterback Davis Mills has been among the backups around the league, seemingly being shopped by their respective teams as he enters the final year of his contract.

"Teams that have better-known backups entering the final years of their contracts -- such as Bagent in Chicago, Tanner McKee in Philadelphia, Will Levis in Tennessee, Davis Mills in Houston, Jarrett Stidham in Denver, etc. -- are seeing if there's interest and whether they can get trade value out of this offseason's odd QB market."

It's not the first time that Mills has been included in a bit of trade talk this offseason after the season he had with Houston, and it likely won't be the last for all of the dominoes that still have to fall across the coming weeks.

But Graziano's report might be a subtle hint that the Texans are actually poking around the market for who could have an interest in Mills rather than just typical offseason chatter. And if so, it'll be an interesting layer of Houston's offseason to watch as things progress further into free agency and closer to the draft.

Texans Looking to Trade Davis Mills?

A Texans trade involving Mills would have to be within the right circumstances, as the front office likely wouldn't be eager to let go of their steady backup quarterback without the right package coming in return.

Mills has been with the Texans for the past five years as a well-liked figure in the building, has a clear understanding of Houston's offense and his surrounding staff and teammates, and put together a strong, albeit small, sample size in 2025 when rattling off a 3-0 record as a starter.

That's quite an ideal player to have as your QB2, especially on an afforable contract worth just $7 million in 2026. So, without real incentive to part ways with him, Houston could just opt to keep him onboard the roster for one more season, and take their chances in free agency once the time comes in 2027.

Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills (10) throws downfield against the Indianapolis Colts during the second half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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But there's also an opportunity for the Texans to think two steps ahead in a potential deal involving Mills. If the front office doesn't want to pay Mills more money on a new contract in 2027 once he officially hits free agency, trading him this offseason would net the team some returning assets for his services rather than losing him for nothing.

The challenge for opposing teams and the Texans in that scenario will be to find the right price that Mills could go for on the trade market. It remains to be seen what teams would be willing to offer, but something around the price of a fourth or fifth-round pick could be enough to say Nick Caserio and Co. to pull the trigger.

Regardless, it remains a storyline to keep an eye on for the Texans as we move deeper into the NFL offseason, especially as various teams in the NFL are still solving their quarterback questions for the 2026 season.