Davis Mills Contract and Salary: How Much Is the Texans QB Earning, and When Is He a Free Agent?
The Houston Texans have overcome a slow start to the season to find themselves back in playoff contention. Houston has won two straight games and is 5-5 entering Thursday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills.
Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has missed the last two games with a concussion, and he will once again miss Thursday night. That opens the door for another Davis Mills start, and he will have a tough test against one of the best teams in the AFC.
Davis Mills’ Contract Details
We have seen Mills as the starter before in Houston, and things did not go very well. He was the Texans’ starter over the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Unfortunately, things did not go well for Mills during that time. He finished with a 5-19-1 record and threw 33 touchdowns with 25 interceptions.
Mills has led the Texans to back-to-back wins this season, including an impressive comeback win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10. In that game, Mills threw for 292 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing touchdown.
If Mills continues to play well, he could play himself into a starting role in the coming seasons. According to Spotrac, Mills is under contract with the Texans through the 2026 season, and he is scheduled to make a base salary of $6 million in 2026. In 2025, Mills has a base salary of just $1.2 million and carries a cap hit of $4,066,820.
Mills signed a one-year, $7 million extension with the Texans that runs through the 2025 and 2026 seasons. He can be an unrestricted free agent after the 2026 season, and that could be a chance for him to cash in if he continues to play well as the backup in Houston.
Mills will be 29 years old when he enters free agency in 2027. With the amount of QB turnover across the league, Mills could find himself competing for a starting job with a new team.
Texans Must Rely on Their Defense
The Texans’ defense has been one of the best units in the NFL this season. They excel in all facets and have helped the Texans regain playoff contention. The Texans are allowing 258.1 yards per game, which is the best in the NFL. Also, their 16.3 points allowed per game is the best in the league.
This defense has given Mills and the offense time to get into a groove, like we saw with their 16-13 win last week. According to PFSN’s Defense Impact metric, the Texans have the second-ranked defense in the league.
No matter who is at quarterback, the Texans must rely on their defense to keep teams under 20 points. If they continue to do that, they will have a chance to win every game.
