Davis Mills

Vikings To Consider Competition For QB J.J. McCarthy In 2026?

The Vikings allowed quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Daniel Jones to depart in free agency this offseason, underscoring their faith in 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy. While Minnesota wanted an experienced backup behind McCarthy – which explains the club’s April acquisition of Sam Howell and the signing of Carson Wentz after Howell was traded in August – neither of those players was seen as a threat to McCarthy’s starting job. In 2026, the Vikes could be looking for someone who will actually push the Michigan product for the QB1 role.

Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, multiple league insiders suggest Minnesota may follow the QB blueprint the Colts took during the 2025 offseason. In other words, the Vikings could acquire a veteran or reclamation project to compete with McCarthy, in much the same way Indianapolis signed Jones to battle with Anthony Richardson, the No. 4 overall choice of the 2023 draft. Jones, who had washed out with the Giants, found new life in Indiana and is in line for another lucrative, multiyear deal (or at least the hefty $46.1MM franchise tag) in 2026.

[RELATED: Vikings, Seahawks Made Similar Darnold Offers]

Fowler says Jones remains an ideal fit for the Vikings, who could make a run at their former backup if the Colts are unable or unwilling to keep him off the market. Fowler also names the 49ers’ Mac Jones and the Texans’ Davis Mills as possible Minnesota targets. Both of those players were once viewed as potential franchise quarterbacks, and while Jones’ tenure in New England and Mills’ stint as Houston’s full-time starter did not end well, they both have built some trade value this season thanks to their efforts in relief of their respective clubs’ top signal-callers.

Mills, 27, has not been a world-beater during C.J. Stroud’s time in the concussion protocol, but he has led Houston to a 3-0 record in the games he has started, throwing five touchdowns against one interception in the process. Mac Jones, meanwhile, went 5-3 as a starter with Brock Purdy on the shelf, posting a completion percentage of 69.6% (fourth-highest in the league) and a 97.4 quarterback rating. He generally looked like the player who finished second in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2021, and while both he and Mills are under contract through 2026, they both could be trade targets of teams like Minnesota (Fowler says the Niners could even fetch a Day 2 pick for Mac Jones).

Kyler Murray, who may already have taken his last snap for the Cardinals, and (interestingly enough) Richardson also fit the mold of players the Vikings could consider, as Fowler notes. The ESPN scribe says Minnesota head coach Kevin O’Connell has respect for Richardson, who has expressed interest in playing under an offense-oriented HC, specifically Sean McVay or someone from his coaching tree (like O’Connell).

If the Vikings instead consider a player closer to the end of their career, Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco might be options (Minnesota spoke with Flacco this offseason, and Rodgers made it known the Vikes were his preferred landing spot). Likewise, a reunion with Wentz could be on the table, per Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.

Wentz, who will turn 32 next month, had several strong showings earlier this year when McCarthy was sidelined with an ankle sprain. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury he sustained in Week 5 derailed his next two starts and brought a premature end to his season. Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune says Wentz’s shoulder surgery went well, so if O’Connell liked what he saw from the former MVP candidate, he could return in at least a backup capacity, or even as competition for McCarthy.

After missing all of his rookie campaign due to injury, McCarthy has struggled with more health issues this season. He missed five games due to the above-mentioned ankle sprain, and he will be sidelined for his team’s Week 13 contest while going through the concussion protocol. When he has been on the field, he has not played particularly well, completing only 54.1% of his pass attempts and throwing 10 interceptions and just six touchdowns en route to a 2-4 record.

Thanks in large part to McCarthy’s struggles, elite wideout Justin Jefferson has posted a career-low yards-per-game average (72.3) and catch percentage (60.6%). The two-time First Team All-Pro nonetheless offered public support for his young passer.

“It’s early,” Jefferson said (via ESPN’s Kevin Seifert). “He’s new to the game. He’s new to the NFL. He’s learning just like everyone else has to learn as a rookie, and he obviously had to go through the mental stage of having to overcome an injury the first year. So just a tough transition for him. But I feel like just him learning these past couple games, and of course learning [during] the stretch of this season, I feel like he’s going to bounce back in a different way than everybody else is going to think so.”

Veteran running back Aaron Jones expressed a similar sentiment, saying, “I told [McCarthy] that the ones who counted you out, they’re going to have to recount.”

While McCarthy is sidelined, UDFA rookie Max Brosmer will get the first start(s) of his career. A strong performance could at least put him in consideration for an extended run in 2026.

Texans QB C.J. Stroud, S Jalen Pitre To Return In Week 13

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans announced on Friday (via Jonathan Alexander of the Houston Chronicle) that quarterback C.J. Stroud and safety Jalen Pitre cleared concussion protocol and will return from their multi-game absences in Week 13 against the Colts.

Stroud suffered a concussion in Week 9 and missed two games before returning to practice in Week 12. He only participated on Tuesday, and Houston’s short week before a Thursday night matchup with the Bills kept him sidelined for another game. Stroud was a full participant for all three of the Texans’ practice this week and will start on Sunday, likely without an injury designation.

Pitre has been in a similar situation to Stroud. His concussion also happened in Week 9, though it was not spotted during the game. He also returned to practice in a limited capacity last week, but was absent on Friday. He was upgraded to full participation on Wednesday, and now that he is no longer in concussion protocol, he may not have an injury designation for Sunday’s game, either.

Backup quarterback Davis Mills struggled in relief of Stroud in Week 9, resulting in an 18-15 loss to the Broncos. But in their three full games without Stroud or Pitre, Houston has gone 3-0. As a starter, Mills averaged 240 yards per game with five touchdowns, one interception, and a 88.25 passer rating. Those numbers are comparable to Stroud’s performance over the last two years, which is significantly below the standard he set as a rookie.

Pitre’s replacement, Myles Bryant, has also held up in the last three games. He has capably filled Pitre’s versatile role with 42 snaps in the slot, 31 as a free safety, and 82 at nickel, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He has made 14 total tackles and missed only two, and though he has allowed catches on nine of his 12 targets, he has limited those receptions to just 45 yards. Like Mills, those are comparable numbers, if not better numbers, relative to the Texans’ usual starter. Pitre has 45 tackles this season, an average of 5.6 per game, with a 16.7% missed tackle rate. He has also allowed 7.7 yards per target. Bryant has averaged 4.6 tackles in the last three weeks with a 12.5% missed tackle rate to go along with only 3.75 yards per target.

Pitre will return to his starting role in Week 13, but Bryant may have earned himself a role in some dime packages. Mills, however, will be on the bench for the rest of the season with the Texans hoping Stroud can bounce-back from a quiet first half and make a late-season playoff push. Houston is currently 6-5 – meaning that Mills and Bryant helped keep their postseason hopes alive – but they trail the Colts and the Jaguars in the AFC South. Their best path to the playoffs is likely a wild card berth, but that may be difficult with the Bills, Ravens, Steelers, Chargers, and Chiefs also angling for those three spots.

Stroud’s return will come against a Colts defense that has allowed 245.5 passing yards per game this season, the fifth-most in the league. However, their 7.2 yards per attempt allowed and 33 sacks rank 10th and sixth, respectively. In the last two weeks, Indianapolis has only given up 377 passing yards, which coincides with the addition of Sauce Gardner and the return of Charvarius Ward from injured reserve. It’s also worth noting that the Colts have faced the second-most passing attempts in the NFL as a result of consistently leading games. Therefore, there is some reason to believe that the Colts’ pass defense has not struggled as much as it seems and may not be as porous for the rest of the year.

Texans Rule Out C.J. Stroud For Week 11; Davis Mills To Start

After suffering a concussion in Week 9, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud will miss his second straight game this Sunday. The Texans ruled him out on Thursday (via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2). Head coach DeMeco Ryans announced that backup signal-caller Davis Mills will start against the Titans in Week 11.

Stroud sustained his injury on a hit from Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine in an 18-15 loss on Nov. 2. A week and a half later, he’s still in concussion protocol and continuing to experience symptoms. Stroud hasn’t returned to practice as a result.

It’s unclear how much more time Stroud will miss, though it’s worth noting that the Texans will be on a short week after facing the Titans. They’ll host the Bills next Thursday. The quick turnaround will give Stroud less time to return to full strength ahead of an important matchup between AFC playoff contenders.

Winners of back-to-back AFC South titles in Stroud’s first two seasons, the 4-5 Texans are sitting on the outside of the playoff picture in his third year. They’re lagging well behind the surprising Colts, who are atop the division at 8-2. However, the Mills-led Texans pulled out a critical win against the division rival Jaguars last week to keep hope alive.

After going 17 of 30 for a paltry 137 yards off the bench in the Denver game, Mills completed 27 of 45 passes for 292 yards, three touchdowns (one rushing), and an interception in a 36-29 victory in Week 10. Mills led a dramatic 19-point comeback in the fourth quarter and scored the game-winning TD on a 14-yard run with 31 seconds left.

Mills is now in line to make his 28th start since the Texans selected him in the third round (67th overall) of the 2021 draft. The Stanford product took over as the Texans’ starter for most of his rookie year, the season Deshaun Watson sat out as a healthy scratch. Mills retained the job in 2022 after Houston traded Watson to Cleveland, but the Texans’ 3-13-1 finish enabled them to pick Stroud second overall in the ensuing draft.

With a healthy Stroud at the helm of their offense, Mills didn’t make a single start from 2023-24. Still, the Texans believed enough in Mills to hand him an extension with a fully guaranteed $7MM in September. Two months later, they’re relying on Mills’ help to stay in the race.

The Texans are likely confident in their chances on Sunday against the 1-8 Titans, especially after throttling them 26-0 in Week 4. Far tougher tests are looming, however, with Buffalo, Indianapolis, and Kansas City next on the schedule. Ideally for the Texans, they’ll climb to .500 for the first time this week and then get Stroud back for what could be a season-defining three-game stretch.

Bengals Contacted Several Teams On QBs; Cincinnati Considered Derek Carr

The Bengals went from throwing support behind Jake Browning to frantically seeking an outside upgrade. Joe Flacco became that option, being sent across Ohio early this week in a Day 3 pick-swap exchange.

Prior to landing on Flacco — a development that surprised the Browns — the Bengals looked into many reserve QBs around the league and one who recently wrapped his NFL career. In addition to calling the Eagles on Sam Howell and the Seahawks on Drew Lock, the Bengals contacted the Texans on Davis Mills, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.

[RELATED: Flacco Hail Mary Comes At Key Point On Bengals’ Timeline]

A long-hesitant franchise regarding the acquisition of players via in-season trades, the Bengals also made a call on Derek Carr. Rapoport indicates the recently retired passer became part of Cincinnati’s search. Had this progressed, the team would have needed to make a deal with the Saints for Carr’s rights. Like they did with Sean Payton when he stepped away in 2022, the Saints hold Carr’s rights after his mid-offseason retirement.

Carr did not enter the offseason assured of retaining his starting job. Kellen Moore took over in New Orleans, leading to rumors about a QB change — even in the event Carr kept playing. Two years remained on his Saints contract. Carr was not open to a pay cut on the four-year, $150MM deal and remained in the Saints’ plans for several weeks between Moore’s arrival and the post-draft retirement decision. As of September, Carr has not slammed the door on returning. But with the Saints needing compensation, that introduced a wrinkle they may have kept the 11-year veteran in retirement.

This certainly would have presented an interesting opportunity for Carr, as the Bengals paid up to retain their high-end Ja’Marr ChaseTee Higgins duo this offseason. Carr struggled to stay healthy in New Orleans, running into a few injuries. Most notably, a shoulder malady sustained in 2023 plagued him and ultimately led the ex-Raider to retirement. Should health circumstances improve, that could conceivably change the equation. Carr did gauge the trade market this offseason. But Carr is 34, limiting his window. During the summer, a report also indicated the former playoff starter is not likely to return to the league.

The Bengals made calls to teams with three quarterbacks and those with viable practice squad options, Rapoport adds. Mills obviously remains in the Texans‘ plans, having signed a one-year extension that moves his contract through 2026 in September. The Texans also rebuffed trade inquiries on Mills in 2023, keeping he and Case Keenum behind C.J. Stroud that season. A 2021 third-round pick, Mills has played his entire career in Houston. The team replaced him as their primary starter via the Stroud selection but still values him in the QB2 post.

Cincinnati did not inquire about Giants veterans, Kirk Cousins or Ryan Tannehill. In not making Tannehill part of their QB search, the Bengals wanted a player who had been active recently, Rapoport adds. Tannehill has not played since the 2023 season, when the Titans benched him for second-round rookie Will Levis. Tannehill had been connected to the Vikings early this offseason and later came up for the Raiders following Aidan O’Connell‘s injury, but the 37-year-old passer remains out of football.

Flacco, 40, will make a start despite being acquired Tuesday afternoon. The Bengals sent Flacco cutups on his flight from Cleveland, per Rapoport, as he was getting up to speed in Zac Taylor‘s offense by Tuesday night. With the Browns giving Flacco two weeks to prepare before his first start with the team in 2023, today’s shorter-notice Packers matchup presents a daunting assignment. For the foreseeable future, however, the Bengals will have Flacco at the controls.

Texans To Extend QB Davis Mills

Last September, the Texans signed backup quarterback Davis Mills to an extension as he entered a contract year.

Almost exactly a year later, Houston is tacking on another year to Mills’ deal, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Mills’ extension is worth a fully guaranteed $7MM, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, securing his services through the 2026 season as the No. 2 quarterback behind C.J. Stroud.

Mills, a 2021 third-round pick, wrested the starting job away from Tyrod Taylor as a rookie and carried it into 2022. However, it quickly became clear that he was not a long-term option under center after throwing a league-high 15 interceptions in 15 games. His struggles led the Texans to a 3-13-1 record in 2022, allowing them to draft Stroud with the No. 2 pick in the 2023 draft. Over his two years as a starter, Mills completed 62.8% of his passes for 5,955 yards for 35 touchdowns and 25 interceptions.

Since then, Mills has served as Stroud’s backup with six games played and zero starts. Virtually all of his appearances have come at the end of blowouts with one true relief showing in 2023.

Mills’ 2024 extension was worth $5MM, so his new deal includes a solid raise as well as some security for another year. However, Stroud will become eligible for an extension next offseason, so Houston may not be able to spend premium backup money on Mills for the rest of the decade. The Texans drafted former Wisconsin and Florida quarterback Graham Mertz in the sixth round of April’s draft and may look to groom him as a successor to Mills in their quarterback room.

Texans To Extend QB Davis Mills

Case Keenum‘s injury established some clarity for the Texans’ quarterback depth chart. Davis Mills will enter the season in the backup role, and despite C.J. Stroud having quickly usurped the two-year starter, Houston still has Mills in its plans.

The Texans and Mills have agreed to a one-year extension, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The former third-round pick’s contract is worth $5MM in new money, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. This puts Mills in line with a host of veteran backups added in recent offseasons.

This $5MM-per-year number matches where the Panthers and Broncos went for their 2023 backups (Andy Dalton, Jarrett Stidham), and the one-year, $5MM number comes in at the same rate the Giants gave Drew Lock this year. The Texans also jumped into the QB2 market last year, giving Keenum a two-year, $6.25MM deal. While Mills’ guarantees are not yet known, the Texans are planning to keep at least one of their reserve QBs around beyond 2024.

Keenum’s deal expires after the season, and it will be interesting to see if Houston carries the pact on its IR throughout the year. A preseason foot injury will sideline Keenum for at least three months. The Texans placed the 36-year-old passer on season-ending IR last week. Keenum started both the games Stroud missed due to a concussion last season, but Mills — the team’s primary starter from 2021-22 — received work as well.

Chosen 67th overall in 2021, Mills effectively became Houston’s placeholder while the team first dealt with the Deshaun Watson drama and then while it waited on picking a successor. The Texans traded Watson for a bounty of draft picks in 2022, but as that year did not bring a promising QB class, the team waited. Mills ended up making 26 starts from 2021-22; bottom-tier Texans teams essentially playing out the string won just five of those games.

For his career, the Stanford alum is a 62.8% passer with a 35-to-25 TD-INT ratio. Mills has averaged 6.5 yards per attempt for his career; he led the league in INTs (15) in 2022 despite being benched for part of that season. The Texans chose Stroud in 2023 and then took calls on both Keenum and Mills. The team ended up liking its three-QB setup last year, but with Keenum out, it will count on Mills as the backup this season. Wednesday’s deal certainly points to Mills keeping that role into 2025 as well.

Texans To Start Case Keenum In Week 15

Davis Mills has dressed as the Texans’ backup quarterback each week this season with C.J. Stroud operating as the starter. The latter is out for Sunday’s game, though, which led to the expectation Mills would be elevated to the No. 1 role on a temporary basis.

Instead, Houston will give the nod to Case Keenum. As first reported by Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the veteran is now in line to start after spending every game in 2023 as the Texans’ emergency third-stringer. Keenum last started during a two-game stint with the Browns. His only action since then was a pair of appearances last season with the Bills, during which he attempted a total of seven passes.

Given that light workload, along with Mills’ familiarity with the Texans, the move comes as something of a surprise. Mills started 26 games between 2021-22 after joining the team as a third-rounder. Despite a 2-9 record as a rookie, the Stanford product flashed potential at times, earning the No. 1 role in his second campaign. A regression proved an upgrade under center would be needed in the offseason, however, leading to the decision to draft Stroud second overall in April.

Stroud’s highly impressive rookie campaign has been interrupted by a concussion, leaving the Texans with a decision to make in the heart of a playoff push. Mills and Keenum split first-team reps during the week, Bien-Aime adds, so today’s news points to the latter having impressed over the past few days. Keenum has made 64 starts in his career, which began in 2013 with Houston.

The former UFDA has posted a winning record only twice in a season, though, leaving him to bounce around the NFL over the course of his tenure. The 35-year-old was viewed by some as a luxury in the Texans’ QB room given Mills’ continued presence and the addition of Stroud in the draft. The team made it clear they were not looking to trade him in advance of the deadline, a stance which has now proven to be quite signficant.

Houston is one of six AFC teams which entered Week 15 with a 7-6 record and thus in position to compete for a wild-card spot. The Texans are also one game behind the Jaguars for the lead in the AFC South, leaving plenty to play for on Sunday. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has expressed optimism about Stroud’s progress in recovering from the concussion, so he could return in time for Week 16. For now, though, the Texans’ offense will rely on Keenum’s ability to perform in his season debut.

Texans’ Reserve QBs Drawing Trade Interest

Although the Texans’ Case Keenum signing appeared to place Davis Mills in limbo, the two-year starter took first-team reps this offseason and landed on Houston’s 53-man roster. With the team moving to C.J. Stroud for Week 1, interest in both backups has emerged.

Teams have contacted the Texans on their two backup quarterbacks, Dianna Russini of The Athletic notes. But Houston’s plan for now is to keep both Keenum and Mills on its roster. The Texans gave Keenum a two-year, $6.25MM deal; two years remain on Mills’ rookie contract.

The Keenum addition undoubtedly led to the Mills trade rumors earlier this year, but the Texans’ stance at that point was to retain the former third-round pick. Stroud will unseat Mills, who is 5-19-1 as a starter (albeit on some undermanned teams), and Keenum would seem to represent both a mentor and a capable backup. Mills, 24, would be an interesting flier for a team to take. Even if the Texans are open to moving the Stanford alum, no viable offer has emerged.

Two teams who could be interested reside in the AFC East. The Patriots made the surprising choice to waive Bailey Zappe on Tuesday. The 2022 fourth-rounder had generated momentum to potentially even challenge Mac Jones for his job this offseason; no realistic challenge occurred. As of now, Jones is the only QB on New England’s active roster. That will not be the case for too much longer, and the Patriots are believed to be targeting Colt McCoy. Indeed, a veteran QB2 is preferred, per the Boston Sports Journal’s Mike Giardi.

Meanwhile, the Bills placed Matt Barkley on IR on Tuesday, removing him from their regular-season equation. Buffalo rosters only Kyle Allen, who spent most of last season backing up Mills in Houston, behind Josh Allen. Keenum spent the 2022 season in Buffalo, but the Houston alum agreed to terms with the Texans — his original NFL team — on Day 1 of the legal tampering period.

Texans Not Shopping QB Davis Mills

Deshaun Watson‘s off-field turmoil led to the Texans effectively hitting pause. They did not make a major investment at quarterback in 2021, when Watson spent the year as a healthy scratch, or 2022. This left Davis Mills as the team’s primary starter. The team changed plans this year, leaving Mills in limbo.

Houston signed Case Keenum shortly after this year’s legal tampering period began and then, despite persistent rumors of preferring this class’ top defensive ends compared to the non-Bryce Young QB lot, chose C.J. Stroud second overall. Stroud and Keenum would seem to represent the 1-2 QB depth chart during DeMeco Ryans‘ first HC season, but Mills remains in the picture. For now, at least, the Texans intend to keep it that way.

[RELATED: Cal McNair Denies Influencing Stroud Selection]

Mills is believed to have generated trade interest, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, who adds the Texans are not eager to deal the former third-round pick. Mills took the first reps at Texans OTAs on Tuesday.

The Texans signed Tyrod Taylor to guide the 2021 team, which was hamstrung by its $39MM-per-year starting QB’s absence, but Mills took over and showed promise to close that season. He did not make much progress last season, with the Texans producing fewer wins. Mills has made 26 career starts; 15 of those came last season. The Stanford product led the league with 15 INTs, despite sitting behind Kyle Allen for two games. Mills’ 78.8 passer rating came in ahead of only Kenny Pickett and Zach Wilson among qualified QBs last year.

Mills, 24, would not seem to hold too much trade value at present. An injury elsewhere could change that, but Mills would profile as a backup option as he enters his third NFL season. Mills struggled despite the return of All-Pro left tackle Laremy Tunsil in 2022, but the Texans still sported a suboptimal supporting cast around their quarterback. Mills piloted the 2021 team to two wins in his final five starts, including an upset of the Chargers that ended up keeping them out of the playoffs, and completed nearly 67% of his passes (6.4 yards per attempt) as a rookie. It is conceivable another team would see him as a capable QB2.

Keenum, 35, signed a two-year, $6.25MM deal ($4MM guaranteed) to return to Houston. Stroud’s four-year rookie deal will be fully guaranteed. Mills is due $1.1MM and $1.4MM base salaries in 2023 and ’24, respectively. It would seem Mills, who engineered the game-winning Week 18 drive that kept the Texans from securing the No. 1 overall pick, no longer fits in Houston. The Texans do not have a fourth QB on their offseason roster, leaving Mills as a regular part of OTAs ahead of what could soon be a move into the background.

Texans To Reinstall Davis Mills As Starter

After two more one-sided losses, the Texans are going back to their original quarterback plan. Davis Mills is set to retake the reins from Kyle Allen against the Cowboys in Week 14, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports.

Houston shut down Mills following a Week 11 loss to Washington — a game that featured five first-half Texans yards — but the team will return to the 2021 third-round pick. The Texans’ evaluation of Mills for long-term starter purposes may be complete, but the team has dropped two more games under Allen.

[RELATED: Texans Losing Confidence In GM Nick Caserio?]

Signed to a low-cost deal this offseason, Allen accounted for five turnovers in the Texans’ losses to the Dolphins and Browns. This included a failed quarterback sneak that resulted in a Denzel Ward stroll-in touchdown. Cleveland managed a two-score win in Houston despite not scoring an offensive TD. With Lovie Smith aiming to avoid being another Texans one-and-done HC, Mills — who left his post initially ranking 30th in QBR — will have another try. The Texans are 17-point underdogs against the Cowboys this week.

The Texans passed on a higher-profile passer with the worst QBR rating Tuesday, joining 30 other teams in not submitting a claim for Baker Mayfield. Three spots behind the Texans in waiver priority, the Rams claimed the Texas native. Mills, 24, has thrown 11 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions in his second season. The Stanford product’s completion percentage has dropped by nearly five points, to 61.9, from last season; his yards per attempt down to 6.5 this year.

Moving toward securing the 2023 No. 1 overall pick, the Texans (1-10-1) will be connected to quarterbacks with that selection. The team last held the top pick in 2014 but went with a veteran option (Ryan Fitzpatrick) over selecting an arm in that class. Jadeveon Clowney became the pick. While the Texans will enter the 2023 draft with two first-round picks and needs at several positions, quarterback is an obvious weakness for the rebuilding team.