Tank Dell isn’t back entirely for the Houston Texans, but at least there’s a step forward in his official return.
After missing an entire season due to a dislocated knee and multiple ligament tears, Dell began to make strides on Thursday afternoon. During the early stages of OTAs, the Texans’ fourth-year wide receiver caught passes in individual drills and later caught several passes against the team’s secondary.
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No, Dell is far from back to full speed, but it was a good sign to see him do more than just drills off to the side. Houston remains patient in the big-picture approach, with bringing back the hope is that he can ramp up his participation by training camp and regain his old form.
“Tank is still working off on the side,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said during the first organized team activity. “When that time is set for him to be back, he’ll be back out there.”
Coming into his own in 2024, Dell was carted off the field in December of 2024 after hauling in a touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud, tearing multiple ligaments in his left knee while also dislocating his kneecap. Because of the severity of the injury, he missed the entire 2025 season while undergoing multiple surgeries and rehabilitation workouts.
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Midway through last season, Dell began to ramp up his workouts. He even tried to make a push for a postseason return after the Texans clinched 12 wins, but the team chose to give him more time to get acclimated to his body and prep for the start of a new season.
In the past, Ryans and offensive coordinator Nick Caley have praised the growth of both Iowa State standouts Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins for their offseason progression as they enter Year 2. They are expected to be factors in the passing game outside of Pro Bowler Nico Collins.
The Texans return to practice on Tuesday.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans receive massive positve update surrounding WR Tank Dell’s return
