The state of Texas already has their Bush; they don't need another.

The idea of drafting Reggie Bush definitely reddens some cheeks in a red state, but the Houston Texans can have a red-letter draft day without him.

Bush's talents as a running back are definitely one-of-a-kind, but one player does not make a team in the NFL, especially not a running back.

I'm sure you've heard it before: running backs are a dime-a-dozen.

Out of 32 teams, the only ones that might be interested in a primetime back are the Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings. Consider that two of those teams, the Jets and the Pats, have an aging starter and are just looking to groom a future replacement, and two others, the Ravens and the Colts, are permitting their superstar ball-carriers, Jamal Lewis and Edgerrin James, to walk in free agency.

James, a former NFL rushing leader, has already filled a void in Arizona, while Lewis, a one-time 2000-yard rusher, will fill another vacancy elsewhere. On top of that, the first round of the draft alone is expected to provide at least four more starting-caliber backs to an already saturated market. The overabundance is plain to see.

There's no shortage of capable runners, just ask the Carolina Panthers or the Green Bay Packers, who found Nick Goings and Samkon Gado buried at the bottom of their depth chart during the past couple of seasons.

And the Houston Texans, for one, are not running on empty.

Their backfield includes Domanick Davis, who accumulated over 3100 total yards and 22 touchdowns in his first two seasons before an injury-plagued third-year kept him 24 yards short of the 1000-yard benchmark, and Vernand Morency, a promising, explosive back, who is heading into his second professional season.

Davis still has fours years and $20 million left on his deal and even though an extension to the collective bargaining agreement has relieved salary cap restraints, there is no use in overspending and overstocking for one position.

Several teams have tested the strategy of drafting a new stud while possessing a proficient pony in the stable, but the results are not necessarily positive.

In 1999, the New Orleans Saints pawned their whole NFL draft to pickup standout running back Ricky Williams and then drafted Deuce McAllister in the first round two years later. In 2000, the St. Louis Rams were equipped with a top-tier runner in Marshall Faulk, yet they still wasted the 32nd overall pick by drafting another Trung Canidate. In 2003, the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs were both stocked with running backs that had amassed more than 1600 total yards, yet neither was deterred from burning first-round selections on Willis McGahee or Larry Johnson.

In all three of the four cases, the incumbent has been supplanted, and the fresher face is now the starting tailback, but each team would have been better off drafting a player to a position of need.

McAllister sat for a year, McGahee had to recover from injuries in his first pro season and Johnson wore diapers for nearly two full seasons.

The Saints could have addressed a lingering team weakness by grooming defensive tackles like Ryan Pickett or Kris Jenkins, who were available at the time McAllister was drafted. The Bills could have bolstered their offensive line with either Kwame Harris or Eric Steinbach, and the Chiefs, for all their defensive woes, could have had three years of service from burgeoning cornerbacks Charles Tillman or Rashean Mathis by now.

As for the Rams, obviously anything would be better than Canidate at this point since he's no longer on the roster.

The Texans finished with the worst record in the NFL last season and overhauled their coaching staff shortly after. The combination of encompassing the talent shortages of a 2-14 team, along with the new regime's urgency to introduce its own personnel, only leads to more roster openings.

The defense will be switching its base from a 3-4 scheme to a 4-3 scheme which means that a number of cogs that had a place in a porous example of the 3-4, may find that they are no longer welcome in the new system. Defensive lineman Gary Walker has already heard that message and has been released. Other players like Seth Payne, Antwan Peek and Jason Babin will have some serious adjustments to make.

The Texans have plenty of needs. They require upgrades in their defensive front-seven, offensive line, and receiving corps, and with a consensus top-flight selection on the board, one that catches the eye of many possible suitors, it makes sense for the Texans to trade down and try to plug several leaks.

The value of the top pick is still increasing. Vince Young's less than wonderful Wonderlic score, combined with the incessant craze for anything Jay Cutler, could cause a scramble for quarterbacks at the top of the draft. Factor in USC's Pro Day and it becomes evident that the Texans stock is still rising in a bullish market.

The New York Jets might be their best trading partner, especially since they have somewhat settled their quarterbacking predicament for the time being. They have restructured the contract of Chad Pennington and are on the hunt for another veteran quarterback who is able to provide some competition and possibly take on the lead role. They have a tradable asset in defensive end John Abraham, whom they have been shopping, and could build a package around him to move up three spots.

The outlook for the Jets next season is fairly bleak and their fans need a reason to renew hope. Acquiring Reggie Bush would create an instant buzz and he is a much easier sell to the fans than an outstanding offensive tackle.

In a draft-day trade two years ago, when a similar class of rookies was headlined by a clear-cut top pick, the New York Giants, who also held the fourth pick of the draft, sent the San Diego Chargers a future first-round pick (which turned out to be Pro Bowl rookie linebacker Shawne Merriman), a third-round pick (placekicker Nate Kaeding) and a fifth-round pick in order to swap Philip Rivers for Eli Manning.

The Chargers are not complaining right now, and if the Texans are presented with a similar opportunity to address several needs instead of overstocking a position where they are already equipped, they should not hesitate to pull the trigger.

The Houston Texans and Reggie Bush mix like Mondays and me.

"Every day you waste is one you can never make up." - George Allen