The Houston Texans have missed a few of their top playmakers this season, and none greater than Tank Dell. The second-year wideout remains sidelined after suffering a significant knee injury last season, but recently piqued interest about a potential return.
Houston secured their spot in the postseason with a win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17, and the Texans are still fighting for the AFC South crown.
Moreover, the Texans have not officially ruled Dell out for the entire campaign.
Tank Dell Piques Interest With Message
GettyTank Del #3 of the Houston Texans is introduced before a game against the Miami Dolphins.
Dell has been out since the Texans’ Week 16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last season, with no updates from the organization about when he could see the field.
Dell is currently on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. There has been nothing from the Texans to suggest Dell is near a return. However, the third-year former third-round pick stirred the pot without using any words.
He posted a rock climber emoji along with an image of himself in the tunnel before a game.
“When you coming back dawg?” one fan asked in the comments of the post on December 28, with another asking, “What you saying Tank?”
Dell was the No. 69 overall pick of the 2023 draft, the same class that yielded quarterback C.J. Stroud and defensive end Will Anderson Jr. He caught 47 receptions for 709 yards and 7 touchdowns as a rookie.
He followed that with a 51-667-3 line in his second season.
Unfortunately for Dell, the Texans, and fans, there have been no changes in how the organization views his status.
Texans Planning for Tank Dell’s Return in 2026
GettyTank Dell #3 of the Houston Texans looks on against the Chicago Bears.
Dell suffered multiple torn ligaments, and his road to recovery was always expected to last deep into this season, given that and the fact that he suffered it so late into the 2024 slate.
The Texans still expect that to be the case.
“Tank Dell is making outstanding progress, working extremely hard and preparing for next season for #Texans per league sources, which was always the medical plan for his knee injury,” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported on X on December 29. “No change there.”
The Texans rebuilt their wide receiver room this past offseason, trading for veteran Christian Kirk, signing Braxton Berrios, and drafting Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.
Berrios has not been a major factor, and Kirk has battled injuries.
Higgins and Noel have made their marks, while Nico Collins logged another 1,000-yard campaign and a trip to the Pro Bowl. But the Texans have missed Dell’s explosiveness in the passing game under first-year offensive coordinator Nick Caley.
That begs the most significant question regarding Dell’s eventual return to the field for the Texans.
How close to his previous form can Dell get after his injuries?
Dell is a smaller receiver, listed at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds. Speed is key to what makes him an effective player. What’s more, Dell’s straight line speed could return, while his agility or even explosiveness may not.
The Texans will not know exactly how healthy Dell is until they get him back on the field, and they have decided to give him as much time as possible to recover.
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