Getty
Tank Dell #3 of the Houston Texans warms up before a game against the Tennessee Titans.
Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans addressed a variety of topics during his time at the annual meeting in Arizona, including sharing an update on wide receiver Tank Dell’s ongoing recovery from a devastating knee injury.
It cost the former Houston Cougars standout and 2023 third-round draft pick the entire 2025 campaign.
The Texans remain optimistic about his return, but the when remains uncertain.
Tank Dell Not Expected Back for Texans OTAs
GettyTank Dell #3 of the Houston Texans is seen on the field before a game against the Los Angeles Chargers during the AFC Wild Card Playoffs.
Dell suffered his most recent injury in Week 16 of the 2024 season, a Texans loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He has posted some videos of his recovery journey, getting words of encouragement from fans along the way.
He has been “grinding” and maintaining a “great attitude,” per Ryans.
However, Dell is unlikely to return to the field in an official capacity by the time the Texans reconvene in the spring.
“Don’t know if OTA’s he’ll be there, but I know he’ll be back for us at some point this year,” Ryans said, per KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson on March 31. “As I told Tank, it’s not a matter of getting back to OTAs just to get back, it’s just a matter of getting back in a really good spot physically to where you stay there. That’s the main thing. It’s not about how quickly he returns. It’s just about Tank returning because we saw what Tank can do, the playmaking that he provides to our entire team. Just getting him back, whenever that time is, it’s going to lift our team.”
Dell, who turns 27 in October, has 98 receptions for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns in two seasons on the field. He has played in 25 of a possible 51 games since entering the league, starting 18 of those contests.
The Texans are notably 14-11 when Dell has played.
Nick Caserio Admits ‘Slow-Moving Target’ for Tank Dell
GettyTank Dell #3 of the Houston Texans looks on from the sideline during a game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Houston Cougars.
Texans general manager Nick Caserio said in February that he hoped to see a “big step” from Dell in April, but Ryans’ comments suggest it could be into June before the receiver returns.
To that end, Caserio made it clear Dell has an extended runway.
“The good thing about Tank, he’s been with us from the beginning,” Caserio said on “Clancy & Pendergast” in February. “It’ll be, probably, a slow-moving target. But you do have some patience, because we have a lot of data on our system, which we can utilize.”
The Texans’ passing game ranked 14th in 2025, a step up from their 2024 mark but still behind their top-10 finish during Dell’s rookie season.
Dell could add explosiveness to the Texans’ offense. That is, if he returns to pre-injury form.
Houston Can Bring Tank Dell Along Slowly
GettyTank Dell #3 of the Houston Texans looks on against the Chicago Bears.
Dell’s health looms large for the Texans, but their wide receiver room is not bereft of options amid his uncertain return timeline.
Nico Collins leads the group, with Dell’s fellow recent draft picks Jayden Higgins, Jaylin Noel, and Xavier Hutchinson, and veteran Justin Watson on hand behind him. The Texans also have former undrafted free agents Jared Wayne and Josh Kelly under contract for 2026.
That depth affords the Texans more patience with Dell.
However, it remains to be seen if Dell’s progress is enough to keep wide receivers off the Texans’ draft board.
Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He’s based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter
More Heavy on Texans
Loading more stories