Before Justin Fields or Trey Lance make their first NFL start, Davis Mills will get his initial starting assignment.
The rookie third-rounder from Stanford becomes QB1 for the Texans on Thursday night against the Panthers. Coach David Culley announced the development on Tuesday, after explaining that normal starter Tyrod Taylor will miss the game with a hamstring injury.
Mills completed eight of 18 passes for 102 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the second half of Sunday’s loss to the Browns. As Culley told reporters of Mills, “He is ready. He’s ready.”
He’ll be even more ready because he will have spent the week taking the first-string reps at practice. And if Taylor misses four weeks, as reported by John McClain of the Houston Chronicle, Mills will have plenty more reps, too.
Jeff Driskel presumably will be elevated from the practice squad to serve as the backup to Mills.