Rams Sign Second-Round TE Max Klare
The Rams have kept progress on the signing of their rookie draft class slow and steady so far. Today, per Howard Balzer of CardsWire, they signed just the third of five rookie draft picks in their class, inking Ohio State tight end Max Klare. Klare was one of many tight ends who benefitted from a huge elevation in draft stock due to a wild Day 2 run of tight ends; Klare was the fourth of eight to be selected in Rounds 2 and 3.
Klare started his collegiate experience committing to Purdue as a three-star recruit. After redshirting his true freshman year, Klare started making an impact as a redshirt freshman. His first year of extensive play time was abbreviated to only five games due to an ankle injury, but in those games, Klare recorded four starts and 22 receptions for 196 yards. In 2024, he started all 12 games for the Boilermakers, leading the team in catches (51), receiving yards (685), and receiving touchdowns (4).
Following the breakout campaign in West Lafayette, Klare opted to enter the transfer portal and committed to the Buckeyes. In Columbus, Klare became one half of Ohio State’s main tight end duo with Will Kacmarek, a blocking tight end who went nearly a round after Klare to the Dolphins. Though most of the Buckeyes’ passing attack was dominated by No. 4 overall pick Carnell Tate and underclassman Jeremiah Smith, Klare finished third on the team in receptions (43) and receiving yards (448) while reeling in two touchdowns.
With seven drops and three fumbles in his final two seasons of collegiate play, ball security will be a big focus for Klare early, and he isn’t known for breaking a lot of tackles. Past that, though, there’s a lot of promise in Klare’s game. He’s got speed and athleticism, and he should be a quick study when it comes to blocking at the NFL level.
The Rams have a diverse group of returning tight ends on the roster in Colby Parkinson, Tyler Higbee, Terrance Ferguson, and Davis Allen. Parkinson and Allen are entering contract years, so space could be clearing up soon, but Klare stands a chance at making an impact in the receiving game considering Higbee, Ferguson, and Allen all finished with 281 receiving yards or fewer last year. He’ll compete with Parkinson, who led the room in 2025 with 43 catches for 408 yards and eight touchdowns, and could be the future if Parkinson isn’t given a new contract.
Here’s how the rest of the Rams’ 2026 NFL Draft class is looking to date:
- Round 1, No. 13 (from Falcons): Ty Simpson (QB, Alabama)
- Round 2, No. 61: Max Klare (TE, Ohio State) (signed)
- Round 3, No. 93: Keagen Trost (T, Missouri) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 197 (from Falcons via Eagles): CJ Daniels (WR, Miami) (signed)
- Round 7, No. 232 (from Ravens): Tim Keenan III (DT, Alabama)
Texans Sign Round 2 TE Marlin Klein
MAY 17: Klein’s deal contains full guarantees for the first three years, per Wilson. Roughly $60K is guaranteed for the final season of the pact. In all, Klein secured 76.96% in guarantees; that represents a significant increase compared to the 67.17% from the No. 59 slot in 2025.
MAY 14: A run on tight ends occurred in the second round. Despite extending Dalton Schultz earlier this offseason, Texans participated by drafting Michigan’s Marlin Klein.
The Texans, who made two second-round choices in this draft, chose Klein 59th. They now have him signed to a four-year rookie deal, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes. The deal is worth $8.18MM and will undoubtedly carry more guarantees at signing than the No. 59 pick in the 2025 draft received.
[RELATED: Texans Give Second-Round DT Kayden McDonald Fully Guaranteed Deal]
Four tight ends went off the board between Nos. 54 and 61. The Eagles began that stretch with Eli Stowers, while the Jaguars viewed this draft range as likely to produce a few TE picks; that led them to draft Nate Boerkircher much earlier than most expected him to go. The Texans chose Klein soon after, and the Rams added Max Klare at No. 61. Like each of the second-round TEs in this draft, Klein will go to a team with an established starter.
Stowers joins an Eagles team that re-signed Dallas Goedert, while the Jaguars have Brenton Strange lined up as an extension candidate. The Rams re-signed Tyler Higbee and used a second-round pick last year on Terrance Ferguson, and the Texans have Schultz signed through 2027 via a one-year, $12.6MM extension.
The Texans, whom Wilson notes used “30” visits on Klare and Georgia TE Oscar Delp (a third-round Saints pick), had discussions about trading down from No. 59. While sixth-year GM Nick Caserio confirmed discussions took place about moving down, the Texans added Klein after considering a move back into Round 1 for Kayden McDonald. The team ultimately did not need to make that move, though it did climb two spots (via the Raiders) to grab the Ohio State defensive lineman at No. 36.
A Germany native who played high school football in Georgia, Klein clocked a 4.61-second 40-yard dash time at the Combine. The 6-foot-6 pass catcher was certainly not a prolific receiving option with the Wolverines, totaling 38 catches for 364 yards and one touchdown in four Ann Arbor seasons. He played behind 2025 first-rounder Colston Loveland while also waiting his turn behind future NFLers AJ Barner and Luke Schoonmaker at Michigan.
ESPN’s Scouts Inc. viewed Houston’s decision as a slightly bigger reach than Jacksonville’s, ranking Klein 176th among this year’s prospects. Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board was more bullish, slotting Klein 84th. Klein’s blocking ability drew plus reviews heading into the draft, however, and the Texans should have room for him to develop while Schultz continues to operate as the team’s top receiving TE. Free agency addition Foster Moreau also stands to help Houston have Klein in place as a developmental option in 2026.
Tight End, Tackle On Broncos’ Draft Radar
The Jaylen Waddle trade required the Broncos’ first-round pick (and more) to complete, marking the fourth first-rounder Denver has traded since the 2022 offseason. The Broncos moved two firsts for Russell Wilson and then packaged the pick from the Bradley Chubb trade to obtain Sean Payton‘s rights. Denver including the No. 30 overall pick in the Waddle trade will mean another long wait for the AFC West franchise.
Sitting at No. 62, the defending AFC West champions do not look to have glaring needs. Two pathways have surfaced, however. Payton’s team has done plenty of work on tight ends, according to ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold. This has included “30” visits with Vanderbilt’s Eli Stowers, Ohio State’s Max Klare and NC State’s Justin Joly. Stowers’ previously reported Denver visit is today, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport adds.
A two-year, $23MM Evan Engram contract was thought to stabilize a roster spot that had not provided much since the Noah Fant years, but Denver did not see Engram and Bo Nix click. The former Pro Bowler caught 50 passes for 461 yards and just one touchdown in 2025. The Broncos have been connected to bolstering their TE room previously, but one of their targets — Dallas Goedert — continued to see his void date in Philadelphia pushed back and ultimately re-signed with the Eagles. David Njoku remains unattached, but Denver interest has not been reported.
Engram will turn 32 in September, and $5MM of his $10.99MM 2026 base salary is guaranteed. The rest of that money does not lock in until September, however. The Broncos would be hit with $10.33MM in dead money were they to release Engram, who has one void year on his deal.
The prospect of the Broncos — with Nix still on a rookie contract — hanging onto Engram and adding a younger option may be in play, though the team re-signed ex-Payton Saints draftee Adam Trautman and retained tight end/fullback Nate Adkins in free agency. Although RFA Lucas Krull was nontendered, he re-signed at a lower rate.
Only one TE — Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq — sits in Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com top 50, and he will go well before No. 62. ESPN’s Scouts Inc. does rank Stowers 36th overall. The Payton-era Broncos have also displayed a penchant for trading up after Round 1, climbing to acquire Marvin Mims, Riley Moss and Troy Franklin between Rounds 2 and 4 from 2023-24. Klare and Joly respectively rank 64th and 92nd, per Scouts Inc.
Another path the Broncos could take involves their tackles’ ages. Garett Bolles will turn 34 in May, while Mike McGlinchey will play an age-32 season. Both are signed beyond 2026, but the team may need an heir apparent for at least one of its edge blockers soon. That is an area ESPN.com’s Matt Miller lists as being in play at No. 62.
The Broncos gave swingman Matt Peart a pay cut and re-signed fellow swing Alex Palczewski (two years, $9.5MM) last month. Options are there for 2026, but a starter-level tackle may need to be acquired either this year or next. Bolles has been Denver’s LT since 2017, while McGlinchey stopped a decade-long carousel at RT by signing in 2023.
Elsewhere on the Broncos’ roster, their decision to give Jonah Elliss inside linebacker reps stems in large part on giving 2025 fourth-round pick Que Robinson a chance at more playing time, the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel notes. Denver had Robinson behind Elliss in its outside linebacker rotation. Robinson played in just six games last season, being healthy-scratched for several contests, and recorded just a half-sack on 150 defensive snaps.
The Alabama product did sack Drake Maye in the AFC championship game, and the Broncos appear set to see what he has in the tank. Should Elliss indeed join brothers Kaden and Christian as a true ILB, the Broncos are looking at a second-string OLB duo of Robinson and Dondrea Tillman.