Ever since 1936, the team with the worst record in the NFL is awarded the first pick in the draft. This year, that team is the Houston Texans. The general consensus is that Reggie Bush is a once in a generation player, and that the Texans would be crazy to pass on him.

I'm not so sure. The Texans already have a legitimate running back in Domanick Davis. Averaging over 1000 yards rushing and 9 touchdowns since coming into the league in 2003, Davis has proven that he’s a solid back. All of this with the worst offensive line in the league blocking for him.

A line so bad, that Davis has yet to stay healthy for a full season. A line so bad that QB David Carr (the #1 overall pick in 2002) has been sacked over 200 times in three seasons, including an NFL record 76 times his rookie year.

So what should we expect to happen when a 6 foot, 200 pound Reggie Bush has to run through that line 25 times a game?

Not to say that they couldn’t draft Bush, and try to piece together an offensive line through free agency and the draft, but if they want this football team to start winning immediately, there are many more pressing needs than a hotshot college tailback.

An easy place to start is the defense. Houston’s front seven isn’t all that bad, the DT and linebacker positions were fairly solid as 2005 came to a close, and they should continue to be so long as they re-sign DaShon Polk and Shantee Orr. The end position could use a boost in the pass rush department, but there are only so many things you can do in one season.

The biggest problem in their defense is the backfield. They have one player who should be a starter, cornerback Dunta Robinson. CB Philip Buchanon has looked suspect at best, and DeMarcus Faggins wasn’t much better.

At the safety positions, C.C. Brown and Glenn Earl finished out the season as starters, but with 4 years NFL experience between them as well as sketchy coverage from Earl, they’d be best suited as backups.

The Texans have one wide receiver. I know, there’s 6 listed on the depth chart, but Andre Johnson is the only jersey they’ll be selling. Jabar Gaffney runs a nice route, but he continues to not live up to 33rd pick in the draft expectations. Corey Bradford hasn’t missed a game since 2000, but he hasn’t topped 700 yards in his career.

Houston’s tight ends stink. Kellen Winslow did more for his team last year. Although Marcellus Rivers made a few key catches toward the end of the season, all three are special teamers at best.

I think every position on this team needs improvement, but the biggest throbbing goiter on the Texans’ roster is their atrocious offensive line. The o-line is the one thing that this team absolutely needs to revamp this offseason. They have one player worth keeping; center Steve McKinney. RT Zach Weigart has always been serviceable, but he’ll be 34 this year, and Houston brought him in as a stopgap anyway. LT Chester Pitts needs time to develop and is due a big check this season. LG Milford Brown should be on the practice squad.

I wonder what you, the reader is thinking at this point. After all this, is Reggie Bush still the guy you see righting the ship? Granted, Bush was phenomenal in high school and amazing in college, but it only gets tougher from here. Faster, harder hitting defenses, and a lack of sloppy tackling could stifle Bush’s performance in the NFL.

A lot of people say that you can’t pass on Bush because “he’s the next Gale Sayers”. Is that even a compliment? Gale Sayers had three good seasons out of seven total. His rookie year was the only time he had more than 8 rushing TDs. He only topped 1000 yards rushing twice, and he played a full season only 3 times. Sayers injured his knee in 1970, and missed 24 of the last 28 games in his career. Bush had better hope he’s not the next Gale Sayers.

Whoever is running the show in Houston this April, they have to realize that even players like Bush are not guaranteed money in this league. If there’s any offense that Bush could fail in, it’s this one.

Houston should trade down the top pick to the Titans or possibly the Jets (if Vince Young declares) for a solid guard and use their pick to draft the left tackle from Virginia, D’Brickashaw Ferguson at the 3 or 4 spot. Take another OL with a 3rd round pick, and pick one up via free agency.

The bottom line is, they need to protect the talent that they have now. Domanick Davis may not be Walter Payton, and David Carr may not be John Elway, but we’ll never know if their careers never get a chance to blossom.

Then again, they could always draft Reggie Bush. At least they’ll have another good draft choice next season.