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As Houston Chronicle beat writer John McClain first reported this morning, the Texans finally exercised the $8 million option that extends quarterback David Carr's contract through the 2008 season. The Texans had the option of extending their quarterback's contract for two seasons, but decided to make it three instead.

The decision to keep Carr didn't seem like a tough one. After all the evaluating, owner Bob McNair said the conclusion was: "David Carr is the person who can take us to the Super Bowl. He has the ability to do it."

According to Associated Press sports writer Chris Duncan, the move might have been indication that team officials favor Heisman Trophy running back Reggie Bush over Texas quarterback Vince Young with the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.

But if that's the case, McNair wasn't saying.

"We have not closed any doors," McNair said. "We'll be visiting with all the top players, including Vince Young, and the whole process is going to lead to one conclusion, and that is: what can we do to put together a winning football team and what could we do to help this team?"

Young has been the talk of the town since leading the Longhorns past Bush and Southern California in the Rose Bowl. Young and Bush are considered the top two players in the April 29 draft.

And of course, the decision to extend Carr's contract might have nothing to do with the top pick.

According to the very well-connected McClain, the Texans still haven't decided if they'll Young or Bush. McNair agreed, telling Duncan the Texans, who finished a league-worst 2-14 last season, are a long way from deciding what they'll do with the No. 1 pick.

McClain went on suggest that while it's unlikely, the Texans could keep Carr and draft Young. Or they could trade Carr, select Young and sign a veteran quarterback to be the starter until new head coach Gary Kubiak believes Young is ready to start.

Or Kubiak could decide Carr is the quarterback to take the Texans to the Super Bowl. Bush, considered one of the top prospects in NFL draft history, would be the top pick.

The Texans also haven't ruled out the possibility of trading down.

As McClain put it, "If Kubiak believes Carr and running back Domanick Davis are Super Bowl-caliber players, they could trade down for an extra pick or two and take an offensive tackle or a pass rusher."

Again, the owner agreed.

"Who knows? If someone wants to give us a 'Godfather' offer, they might have the No. 1 pick," McNair admitted. "It's just a question of what is available to us at that time and what is the value to the Texans."

During a Friday appearance on "Total Access," NFL Network insider Adam Schefter suggested that if they do trade down, the Texans would be most interested in Virginia offensive tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson.

Bottom line? It would appear, as McNair is quick to point out, the Texans can't go wrong. ...

For the record. ... Carr's extension calls for the $8 million bonus and base salaries of $5.25 million this year, $5.5 million in 2007 and $6 million in 2008. As the top pick in the 2002 draft, Carr already has made $22 million over his first four years, not counting incentive bonuses.

Barring a career-ending injury and a restructuring for salary-cap purposes, Carr will earn $46.75 million over the first seven years of his career. ...

Meanwhile, Carr has heard all the buzz and was diplomatic about the possibility of Young possibly vying for his position next season.

"If he were to come here, my job is still the same," Carr said. "My job is to go out and perform like I know I can and do whatever I can to compete for a job, just like I've done for the four years since I've been here.

"Whatever is good for our football team, I'm all in."

Carr has started 59 of the 64 games in Houston's four-year history. Last season, he completed 256-of-423 passes for 2,488 yards with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Kubiak, like McNair, raved about Carr again on Friday, saying his skills are ideal for the system he ran as the offensive coordinator in Denver the past 11 seasons. The Broncos ranked fifth in total offense in 2005.

"I look at what we do and what we teach and see him fitting into that very quickly," Kubiak said. "He can make plays off schedule and in this league, as a coach, you're not calling the perfect play all the time. When you don't, you want a kid who can go out there and keep you on the field and make things happen. That's something he possesses."

Beyond Carr, Kubiak said it will take more than Young or Bush to make Houston competitive. Carr has been sacked more than 200 times in his four seasons.

"The quarterback's got to do his job but everybody around him is the key," Kubiak said. "We've got to get better as a football team and then get David to do his part as well as he can do it. Taking him to another level as a player is going to help us all get better. It's about a building process, it's about everybody, it's not about one guy."

Carr, who grew up in northern California, said he has studied Kubiak's offense since Kubiak was the quarterbacks coach in San Francisco in 1994.

"It was always something growing up that I've been a fan of," Carr said. "It's an offense that I've followed pretty closely and something that I'm excited to go out and try and do. ..."

Also of interest in Houston. ... Kubiak said Friday that Mike Sherman will decide "over the next three or four days" whether he'll coach next season -- and possibly join the Texans' staff.

"Mike's going to make a decision over the next three or four days whether he wants to come back and coach this season," Kubiak said. "I'm hoping to be the first one to know that, so I'll let you guys know Monday."

Sherman was fired as Green Bay's coach on Jan. 2 after the Packers went 4-12. He interviewed for the coaching vacancies in Buffalo and with the New York Jets and declined offers to become the offensive coordinator in both places.

Kubiak, who replaced fired coach Dom Capers on Jan. 26, worked with Sherman on R.C. Slocum's staff at Texas A&M in 1992-93.

Kubiak said he is "95 percent done" assembling his new staff. He is still looking for an assistant defensive line coach.

Kubiak was tightlipped about how close Sherman was to joining him in Houston.

"As far as Mike goes," Kubiak said, "I think everybody knows I have a tremendous relationship with Mike."

According to Schefter, the Texans have recruited Sherman as hard as they can.

He was brought to McNair's house for a get-to-know-you lunch in which Houston made it known how important Sherman could be to its team. Then they gave Sherman as much time as he wanted and needed to make his decision.

And as McClain suggested, getting Sherman would be a coup for Kubiak, whose offensive staff doesn't have a lot of NFL experience.

Coaches who have already signed with the Texans are Troy Calhoun (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks), Richard Smith (defensive coordinator), Chick Harris (running backs), Jon Hoke (defensive backs), Joe Marciano (special teams), Brian Pariani (tight ends), Kyle Shanahan (receivers), Johnny Holland (linebackers), John Benton (offensive line), Martin Bayless (assistant defensive backs), Robert Saleh (defensive quality control) and Mike McDaniel (offensive quality control).

Calhoun is just 39, and spent 2001-02 as the offensive coordinator at Wake Forest.

Harris, Marciano, Hoke and Saleh are holdovers from Capers' staff.