When the Texans moved on from the embattled Deshaun Watson during the 2022 NFL offseason, it was presumed that the team would look for a high-quality replacement for their former franchise quarterback.
Instead, they opted to give Davis Mills a chance to prove himself as a starter after a solid rookie season.
Suffice to say, that hasn't worked out.
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Mills endured a rocky 2022 season as Houston's primary starter. He started Houston's first 10 games of the campaign and posted a record of just 1-8-1 while completing 61.9 percent of his passes for 2,144 yards, 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Then, ahead of Week 12, Mills was benched in favor of Kyle Allen, essentially signaling that the Texans would look for a replacement for Mills during the 2023 NFL offseason.
In a way, the Texans' decision to roll with Mills was a good one. Sure, they missed out on some of the top quarterbacks during the 2022 offseason, but now, they are positioned to land one of the best that 2023 has to offer.
The 2023 NFL Draft is stronger at quarterback than the 2022 one was, so that should give them a chance to find a quality passer with one of their two projected top-10 picks.
But who exactly could the Texans target? Here's a look at their best potential options to replace the void left behind by Watson, including several potential top draft picks and a couple of veterans they could pursue.
MORE: Why the Texans benched Davis Mills for Kyle Allen
Texans QB options
Bryce Young
The Texans are likely to land the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and if they do, they will have a choice between two of the top passers in this year's class. Young represents one of them and would likely provide the team with a big upgrade at the position.
Young won the Heisman Trophy for his stellar performance during the 2021 season and he has continued to be a solid starter for the Crimson Tide in 2022. He's a bit small at 6-0, 194 pounds, but he completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 3,007 yards, 27 touchdowns and just five interceptions in 11 games. He did this while playing through an injury to his throwing shoulder.
Young has a bit of vintage Russell Wilson in his game. He isn't big, but he has a great arm, good mobility — though he prefers not to run it when he can — and throws the ball accurately. He could quickly find success in Houston if he still has the likes of Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins at his disposal.
NFL MOCK DRAFT: Who will the Texans select with the No. 1 overall pick?
CJ Stroud
Stroud is the other top quarterback that could be in play if the Texans land the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft. The Ohio State product is more of a prototypical passer compared to Young and has a 6-3, 215-pound frame. He has found a lot of success in Ryan Day's offense and finished fourth in the Heisman voting in 2021.
Stroud has a cannon of an arm and that figures to be his biggest weapon at the NFL level. His accuracy is good within the context of the Ohio State offense, but it he will have to learn to throw the ball into tighter windows in the NFL, as his receivers won't get quite as much separation as the talented Buckeyes bunch does.
So far in 2022, Stroud has completed 66.2 percent of his passes for 3,340 yards, 37 touchdowns and just six interceptions. His numbers are actually down from his 2021 campaign and his struggles in Ohio State's 45-23 home loss to Michigan likely put him behind Young for now in the race to be the No. 1 pick.
Will Levis
Remember, the Texans don't just have their own first-round pick. They also have one that belongs to the Browns, which was set to be the No. 10 overall pick heading into Week 13.
What does that mean? Well, the team doesn't have to take a quarterback at No. 1 overall. If they like Will Anderson better than Stroud and Young, they could take him and target a player like Levis with their second first-round pick.
Levis hasn't put up the elite-level numbers that his counterparts have while playing at Kentucky, but the 6-3, 222-pound passer has a very good arm and possesses solid athleticism and mechanics. He seems to be the clear-cut No. 3 quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft class and will probably be a top-15 pick — if not, top-10.
Levis has completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 2,406 yards, 19 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with the Wildcats in 2022. His performance could have been better had he not dealt with turf toe and a shoulder injury that he played through for most of the season.
Levis doesn't have the same ceiling as Young or Stroud, but his floor should ensure that he is a solid starting quarterback. That could be enough to get looks from the Texans if they don't roll with either Stroud or Young atop the draft.
Hendon Hooker
Hooker represents a true boom-or-bust gamble for the Texans. He was trending toward being the third-ranked quarterback in this class and the Heisman favorite before a torn ACL knocked him out for the season.
Now, Hooker is much more of a mystery. Will he be healthy enough to play as a rookie? It's possible, but questions about his knee could knock him to Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Still, Hooker has dual-threat ability. He completed 69.6 percent of his passes for 3,135 yards, 27 touchdowns and just two interceptions while adding 430 yards and five touchdowns on the ground during his final season with the Volunteers. He has the size (6-4, 218 pounds), ball placement skills and athleticism needed to find success with an NFL team.
Houston doesn't seem likely to wait on a quarterback, but perhaps if they think Hooker is a good value, they could wait on him. Or they could trade into the end of the first round to get him with a fifth-year option. Either way, his upside is sky high; it's just a matter of whether teams will write him off because of his knee injury.
BENDER: Todd McShay breaks down Will Levis vs. Hendon Hooker debate
Jordan Love
If the Texans don't land one of the top four quarterbacks in the draft, it means one of two things. They either signed a veteran to serve as the team's quarterback or trade for one.
It seems more likely that Houston would pursue young blood at the quarterback position, but Love would qualify as such. He is just 24 years old and while he hasn't played much during his career, he has sat behind Aaron Rodgers developing for three years. He could be ready to take a step forward if given the chance.
Love made one NFL start in 2021 and completed 19 of 34 passes for 190 yards, one touchdown and one interception. As mentioned, he hasn't played much, but he has a massive arm and was considered raw coming into the league. If he has performed well in the wings behind Rodgers, he could b ready to take on a larger role.
The only question is about whether Green Bay would trade Love. But considering that Rodgers still has two years left on his massive contract, it will eventually get to a point where it will be hard for the Packers to keep both.
Considering that they re-signed Rodgers just last offseason, it would probably make more sense for the team to part with Love. He is on the cheaper deal anyway, so he would be easier to move.
A veteran free agent like Jimmy Garoppolo or Jacoby Brissett
Look, the Texans could pursue a multitude of free-agent quarterback options regardless of their plans atop the NFL draft. They are young at the quarterback position, so it could behoove them to add experience in the form of a stopgap starter or a backup passer.
Garoppolo and Brissett would fill those roles nicely. Jimmy G would represent the higher-end option for the Texans, as they could potentially sign him to a one-year deal while letting whichever quarterback they draft behind him develop. It would be similar to what the 49ers did with Trey Lance during his rookie season.
Of course, Garoppolo may prefer to fight for a starting job with a contender. If that's the case, the Texans could sign a player like Brissett, who is a perfectly capable starting quarterback but could also serve as one of the league's best backup options.
Having a veteran would give the Texans some quality insurance at the position. It would also guarantee that they wouldn't have to start a rookie before he is ready to take on a starting role.
Maybe the Texans won't go after the likes of Garoppolo or Brissett. They may be more focused on backup-caliber players like Teddy Bridgewater. But either way, don't be surprised if they target some veteran help at the position.
