The Houston Texans added to a crowded tight ends room on Wednesday, bringing into the fold veteran tight end Eric Tomlinson, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. The seven-year journeyman has never been much of a pass catcher but should be able to provide some critical blocking in Houston this coming season.
Tomlinson heads to his seventh team after earlier spending time with the New York Jets, New England Patriots, New York Giants (two stints), Las Vegas Raiders, Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos. He also follows Texans tight ends coach Jake Moreland to the Lonestar State. Moreland served in the same position last year in Denver, where Tomlinson made 12 starts in 17 appearances. He had previously spent a year-and-a-half as a part of the Ravens' bruising rushing attack.
Now off to the Texans, Tomlinson joins a position room that currently houses Dalton Schultz, Teagan Quitoriano, Brevin Jordan, Mason Schreck and Andrew Beck. Schultz and Jordan are the primary pass-catching tight ends, while Quitoriano and Beck have both historically been more run blockers, with Beck joining Tomlinson in the move from Denver this offseason. Schreck has not seen enough game action to say what his role could be here, but he was a strong receiver in college.
This means Tomlinson will have some competition for his current role. It is hard to picture the Texans keeping more than three or four tight ends on their 53-man roster come September. With Schultz and Jordan in the passing attack, that leaves Quitoriano, Tomlinson, Beck, and Schreck to battle it out for maybe two open roster slots.
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