<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Len PasquarelliESPN.comHONOLULU -- In a move that could augur the selection of Southern California tailback Reggie Bush as the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, league sources here for the Pro Bowl confirmed late Thursday that the Houston Texans have exercised a "buy back" clause in quarterback David Carr's contract, paying him an $8 million bonus to secure his services for three more seasons.Retaining the four-year veteran quarterback, who would have become eligible for unrestricted free agency had the Texans not exercised the option, makes it highly unlikely that Houston will choose Texas quarterback Vince Young with the top pick in the draft April 29.Some fans have urged the Texans to choose Young, a Houston native. But Chris Mortensen of ESPN reported weeks ago that Houston officials are locked in on Bush, the 2005 Heisman Trophy winner.There is still some chance that Houston could choose Young or perhaps Southern California quarterback Matt Leinart. But doing so would mean keeping a young quarterback on the bench for a few seasons, or trading Carr.The Texans' confidence has wavered only slightly in Carr in four seasons. Every indication in recent weeks was that the Texans would pay the "buy back" bonus to keep Carr.Former NFL head coach Dan Reeves, who served as a consultant to Texans owner Bob McNair, recommended keeping Carr, the top overall choice in the 2002 draft. First-year head coach Gary Kubiak, who has a strong reputation around the league for developing quarterbacks and whose presence could enhance Carr's performance, apparently gave him a strong endorsement, too. Carr, 26, has appeared in 60 games, starting 59. He has completed 941 of 1,628 passes for 10,624 yards, with 48 touchdowns passes, 53 interceptions and a passer rating of 73.7. But the former Fresno State star has suffered from a lack of support, particularly on the offensive line. He has been sacked an amazing 208 times in his career, including a league-record 76 times in 2002 and 68 times during the 2005 campaign. Carr has a 16-43 record as a starter. Under the terms of the complicated seven-year, $46.75 million contract Carr signed as a rookie, the final three seasons of the deal were voidable. Early in his career, Carr reached sufficient performance levels to cancel those three years, and technically, his contract would have expired on March 3, the first day of free agency. But the Texans had the right to "buy back" the voidable years and had two options for doing so. The first would have involved paying Carr a bonus of $5.5 million to buy back two seasons, at base salaries of $5 million for 2006 and $5.25 million for 2007. The second, the deal for which Houston opted, included the $8 million bonus, which bought back three seasons, at base salaries of $5.25 million each in 2006 and 2007 and of $6 million in 2008. At one point during the season, Houston officials considered the possibility of exercising the two-year option. The Texans also reviewed which NFL franchises might need a quarterback of starting caliber in the next few years, in the event they decided to trade Carr. They have never come close, however, to putting Carr on the market.</div>wow, I suppose that pretty much seals up who they are taking #1
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>wow, I suppose that pretty much seals up who they are taking #1</div>Was that ever really a suprise
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Feb 10 2006, 11:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>wow, I suppose that pretty much seals up who they are taking #1</div>Was that ever really a suprise </div>eh, not really, but it's nice to know for sure, especially considering my team's draft position
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Frosty M @ Feb 10 2006, 08:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>if they choose leinart then maybe something could happen offensively</div>David Carr is a very good QB man when hes given time in the pocket, the problem is hes always on his back due to their lack of O-line.
Exactly Venom. Which means they should draft D'Brickashaw Ferguson but they won't. Bush is 99.7 % the # 1 guy picked in 76 days.
In an ideal world, they'd trade down and pick up some O-line help. I think they'd be too scared of what they could be missing out if they don't pick Bush.Drafting Leinart would be useless for them. If they were to take a QB, it would be Vince Young. With their O-line, they'd HAVE to have a mobile QB.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HandZ21 @ Feb 11 2006, 11:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Exactly Venom. Which means they should draft D'Brickashaw Ferguson but they won't. Bush is 99.7 % the # 1 guy picked in 76 days.</div>As I've said for ages. I think they should resign DD, draft Reggie Bush and pull a Eli/Rivers deal and trade for D'Brickashaw whenever someone drafts him and get some more picks/players with it.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brooksie5 @ Feb 11 2006, 09:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (HandZ21 @ Feb 11 2006, 11:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Exactly Venom. Which means they should draft D'Brickashaw Ferguson but they won't. Bush is 99.7 % the # 1 guy picked in 76 days.</div>As I've said for ages. I think they should resign DD, draft Reggie Bush and pull a Eli/Rivers deal and trade for D'Brickashaw whenever someone drafts him and get some more picks/players with it.</div>But its unlikely they can find another team to completly overpay for Bush like the Giants did for Manning. They could have Nate Kaeding, Shawne Merriman, and Philip Rivers on their team had they kept those picks.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AdropOFvenom @ Feb 12 2006, 08:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>But its unlikely they can find another team to completly overpay for Bush like the Giants did for Manning. They could have Nate Kaeding, Shawne Merriman, and Philip Rivers on their team had they kept those picks.</div>True in a sense, but he is the man to have right now. Everyone wants a shot at Reggie Bush and I'm sure some teams would be willing to give a future season on what this kid could turn out to be. I wouldn't be surprised if we find him in a trade for probably the best lineman coming out of the draft in Ferguson and a few others picks or players to go with it. The Texans could easily get an overpayment with this kids talent. Remember their comparing him to Gale Sayers. That takes a lot of talent to be compared to him.
