By Anthony Licciardi
Is Davis Mills any good? I don’t know. Unfortunately, the Houston Texans don’t either.
For that reason alone, Mills is a 2022 X-Factor. Not only for the Texans, but for the future of his football career, too.
Mills, the 67th pick in the 2021 NFL draft, exceeded the (incredibly low) expectations set for him as a rookie. Playing on what was probably the worst roster in football, Mills threw for 2,664 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions while starting 11 games. Those numbers aren’t exactly worthy of writing home about.
Yet, Mills has gained some fans around the league. Houston’s offense was still a little better than anticipated with Mills under center. Can a quarterback truly be evaluated on a roster unfit for NFL competition?
Subsequently, Houston will give Mills another chance to shine. Is the roster significantly better? Of course not, it’s the Texans we’re talking about. Still, Mills will get the chance to audition for a starting spot, wherever that may be. If he hits, great. If not, they’ll land one of the top quarterbacks in the upcoming draft.
Can Mills surpass the higher expectations set for him in year two?
Thankfully, Mills has a few things going for him. For one, he’s pretty smart and accurate with the football. He can manipulate defenders with his eyes and has followed through on the “pro-ready” praise he received at Stanford.
He also sported the highest red zone passer rating in the league (113.4).
However, Mills struggles to create on his own and isn’t dynamic through the air or ground. With a poor supporting cast, it isn’t very likely Mills develops into a playmaker that strikes fear into defensive coordinators.
Still, he outperformed essentially every rookie not named Mac Jones last year, and if we’re giving the rest the benefit of the doubt, perhaps our generosity should extend to Mills, too.
Right now, DraftKings is offering +105 odds on Mills to surpass 3,700.5 passing yards. With an $100 wager, a strong sophomore season could net you an extra $105. Houston will likely be in pass-heavy situations all season long. With a slightly improved offensive line and additional chemistry with his targets, there’s enough of a foundation for Mills to take a step, even if it’s a slight one.
A big season from Mills can make us all winners. Bettors get a return on their investment, Houston wins a few more games than they should, and Mills gets a longer leash as an NFL starting quarterback.
Making or breaking the Texans may mean six wins instead of five, but any sign of life would be a step in the right direction for an organization in such peril.