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C.J. Stroud has helped alteration the Texans, starring the franchise to back-to-back AFC South titles successful his archetypal 2 seasons. While Houston's discourtesy has been disappointing this twelvemonth compared to expectations, Stroud remains the astir important subordinate connected the team.
Still, the Texans request to beryllium prepared successful lawsuit thing happens to Stroud successful the postseason. Luckily for them, they person a backup backmost they spot who has been connected the squad good earlier Stroud was drafted.
Here's everything to cognize astir the Texans' backmost extent illustration up of the 2024 playoffs.
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Who is the Texans' backup quarterback?
Stroud's backup is erstwhile Stanford backmost Davis Mills.
Houston drafted Mills successful the 3rd circular of the 2021 NFL draft, utilizing the No. 67 wide pick. The Texans didn't person a prime successful the archetypal 2 rounds of that draft, making Mills the team's draught enactment that year.
The 2021 people was dense with quarterbacks, arsenic Mills was the eighth signal-caller drafted successful the archetypal 67 picks. Of those eight, Mills is 1 of conscionable 3 inactive with the squad that drafted them, on with Jaguars starter Trevor Lawrence and Buccaneers backup Kyle Trask.
In 2021 and 2022, Mills played 28 games for the Texans, starting 26 arsenic the team's superior backmost earlier they drafted Stroud. In his archetypal 2 seasons, Mills produced 5,782 passing yards, 33 passing touchdowns and 25 interceptions, which includes a league-leading 15 interceptions successful 2022.
As a starter, Mills won conscionable 5 games. The Texans were among the worst teams successful the league successful some the 2021 and 2022 seasons. That led to them getting the No. 2 wide pick, which is wherever they drafted Stroud.
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In Stroud's career, the second-year backmost has started 32 of 34 imaginable games successful the regular season, missing conscionable 2 games with a concussion past year. However, during that agelong successful 2023, the Texans started Case Keenum implicit Mills, adjacent though Mills did look successful some games without Stroud.
This season, Keenum is injured, truthful Mills is the lone different backmost connected the 53-man roster. In Week 18, with the Texans already having clinched the AFC South and No. 4 seed, Mills saw his archetypal extended enactment of the play against the Titans, producing 128 passing yards connected 12 completions.
Mills was acceptable to deed escaped bureau this offseason, but the Texans alternatively locked him successful arsenic Stroud's semipermanent backup. Houston and Mills agreed to a one-year, $5 cardinal hold successful September, which volition support the backmost with the Texans done 2025.
Head manager DeMeco Ryans explained the team's assurance successful Mills earlier this year.
"Extending Davis is thing that helium earned. Davis has had a truly large grooming camp. We saw big-time betterment from past twelvemonth to this year," Ryans said, via ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime. "He handled campy truly well, playing immoderate of his champion shot successful grooming camp. He went retired and proved it successful his snaps that helium was capable to get successful the preseason.
"Everything Davis has got he's earned. He's done a truly large occupation for america this year."
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Texans QB extent chart
| Rank | Name |
| 1. | C.J. Stroud |
| 2. | Davis Mills |
| 3. | Kedon Slovis (PS) |
| 4. | Case Keenum (IR) |
The Texans lone person 2 quarterbacks connected their progressive roster, with Stroud arsenic the starter and Davis Mills arsenic the backup. Stroud started each 17 games for the Texans this season, truthful Houston didn't request to maneuver the backmost extent illustration excessively much.
Mills would capable successful for Stroud if thing happens to the starting quarterback, but determination isn't overmuch down him. Undrafted rookie Kedon Slovis is the lone backmost connected the signifier squad, but the erstwhile USC, Pittsburgh and BYU starter has yet to play successful an NFL game.
Additionally, the Texans bash person the seasoned Keenum connected the roster, but helium suffered a season-ending ft wounded successful preseason.
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