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In 2002, the Texans used the first draft pick in franchise history on David Carr, who was beaten up while playing on a bad team and never developed into the kind of player Houston wanted him to be. Now the Texans own the first overall pick again, and owner Bob McNair says his team has learned from its mistakes.

McNair says the Texans now realize that a rookie quarterback shouldn’t play until he’s ready, and a veteran quarterback as a placeholder can be a wise investment.

“I think the main thing I look back on is that we should have had a veteran quarterback in there,” McNair said. “We should have let him start the season and let David learn what it takes to be an NFL quarterback.”

That suggests that if the Texans draft a quarterback next week, they’ll be drafting him with the idea that he’ll sit on the bench and learn while Ryan Fitzpatrick or Case Keenum or T.J. Yates opens the season as the starter. McNair also wants to make sure the Texans can provide a young quarterback better protection than the expansion team’s offensive line gave Carr.

“We weren’t able to give Carr the kind of protection we thought he should have,” McNair said. “I don’t put a lot of blame on him.”

If the Texans do draft a quarterback, they have to hope they’re not making excuses for his failures a dozen years down the road.