One Texans Extension Candidate to Watch in Training Camp Besides C.J. Stroud

The Houston Texans––outside of their current dilemma surrounding C.J. Stroud––hashed out most of their big contract situations throughout the last several months of the offseason.

Will Anderson, Danielle Hunter, Azeez Al-Shaair, and Dalton Schultz were all among those who got a nice new payday over the offseason. The Texans acted as one of the more proactive teams in the league in that department, and have several of their core pieces locked in for the future because of it.

But as we get into the motions of training camp, there's one name to keep a close eye on who hasn't seen that extension come his way, yet could see an agreement come to form right before the regular season starts–– similarly to what transpired around this time last year.

And no, it's not C.J. Stroud. Odds are, those negotiations will have a little more traction come next summer. Instead, his backup, Davis Mills, could be in play for a new extension to cement his future in Houston a little further than how things are looking right now.

Why Davis Mills is an Extension Candidate to Watch

Heading into the 2026 season, Mills is in the final year of his existing contract valued at $8.1 million; coming from a deal that was actually signed right before last season kicked off to ensure Houston's longtime QB2 was in the building for another year.

The agreement actually came two days before the start of the season; a rare one-year extension right ahead of Week 1's kickoff that would ensure Houston's fixture in the quarterback room was back onboard for what would be a sixth year in a Texans uniform.

And that decision, while a unique one from the Texans' brass, clearly turned out to be a strong one in hindsight. Mills stepped in to start for three games in 2025 to post a 3-0 record, and logged over 700 passing yards with a 5-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio in those appearances. That's certainly boosted the backup's value just a tad.

Jun 9, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback Davis Mills arrives for the team’s minicamp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

So maybe for that reason, Mills might be interested in playing out this 2026 year, hitting the open market, and trying to net a payday and compete for a starting job on another team in 2027 with a bigger contract than the $8 million he's getting right now. Or, if things don't go as expected with Stroud under center, he can shift into that QB1 role in Houston.

But there's also a chance that, based on past precedent, the Texans could try and get ahead of their QB2 situation by hashing out a similar deal for Mills in training camp or heading into the season to lock him in for 2027, and prevent any chance of losing their veteran backup in a year's time.

What a Mills Extension Might Look Like

Based on how the market is shaping up for backup quarterbacks around the league, it's hard to imagine Mills would get much different of a deal from what he's getting now.

According to Spotrac, only two projected backups are making more than Mills in 2026, that being Jarrett Stidham and Marcus Mariota, each getting $7.5 million.

So unless a team were willing to give him starter-level money come next offseason, which is a little unlikely on the surface, given the circumstances, that's probably the number he's trending towards after this current deal expires.

And based on what Mills was looking for on his extension this time last year, another one-year deal makes a good bit of sense for both sides, rather than a multi-year deal. That helps the Texans remain flexible, but also ensures Mills' financial security for another season, rather than looking to get that money in free agency in March.

Bottom Line

Maybe Mills is looking to cash in on a bigger payday or opportunity elsewhere that Houston can't provide. Maybe the Texans don't want to pay big money to a backup quarterback given their current financial situation and the players they're about to foot the bill for.

It's not a given that Mills could find a new agreement ahead of next season. The quarterback market can oftentimes be tricky, and especially for those in the backup tier looking to level up to starting caliber.

But if there were anyone on the roster to look at as both a worthy and possible extension candidate before the 2026 campaign kicks off, Mills is probably that guy who has the best chance to cash in.

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