The Houston Texans are rolling along through their offseason program, but head coach DeMeco Ryans’ squad is already navigating some injury concerns at the tight end position with rookie draft pick Marlin Klein.
Klein is part of an eight-prospect class for the Texans in the 2026 draft, and joins a position group that was snake-bitten last season.
In that context, his setback is a potentially ominous sign.
Texans’ Marlin Klein Dealing With Balky Hamstring
GettyMarlin Klein has suffered a setback early in the offseason program.
The Texans selected Klein in the second round, taking the 2023 national champion 59th overall and adding him to a room led by veteran Dalton Schultz.
“#Texans rookie tight end Marlin Klein, a second-round draft pick from Michigan, tweaked his hamstring and was sidelined at OTAs this week, per league source,” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported on X on June 5. “Not regarded as a long-term injury.”
Ryans answered, “No,” when asked about having an update on Klein on Tuesday.
Schultz led the Texans in receptions, and he was second in yards. But there was a 70-catch disparity between him and the the Texans’ No. 2 TE, Cade Stover.
Stover played in nine games, starting seven, and finished with a 12-76-0 line. Harrison Bryant started four of the 12 contests that he played in. However, he also finished with a lesser stat line (2-7-0) than fellow reserve Brenden Bates (2-23-0 in three games).
Brevin Jordan, a fifth-round pick in 2021, is also back, but missed last season with injuries.
The good news for the Texans is that Klein’s hamstring is not considered serious. The rub is that soft-tissue injuries can linger if not allowed to heal properly.
Texans Expected to Have Big Plans for Marlin Klein
GettyMarlin Klein could be a big part of the Houston Texans’ offense as a rookie.
As his draft status suggests, the Texans are expected to have significant plans for Klein in their offense.
They are expected to use more multiple-tight-end sets than last season.
“Starter Dalton Schultz is 29 years old and on the last year of his contract, making tight end a future need in Houston,” ESPN’s Matt Miller wrote after the draft. “The Texans were in great shape to grab a tight end prospect with a developmental player in Klein. He didn’t have eye-popping stats at Michigan, but he’s a classic in-line blocker with the speed to uncover against linebackers. It’s a small surprise that Klein would go ahead of Max Klare or Oscar Delp, but his blocking skills were obviously valued by Houston.”
Klein’s blocking could earn him playing time over Stover and Jordan, both of whom are better receivers than blockers. The same could be said about offseason free agent signing Foster Moreau, too.
However, Klein cannot earn snaps without proving himself in practice.
Missing out on reps comes at a cost for any player. But that cost is far greater for rookies looking to get acclimated to the NFL.
Fortunately for the Texans, Klein’s issue has not prevented him from being around the team, and he was even spotted during their practice on Thursday. The sooner the Texans can get Klein back practicing the better.
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