The road back to the football field has been a long and arduous path for wide receiver Tank Dell. After being carted off the field in December 2024, the Texans have been patiently waiting for his return. Texans fans witnessed online Dell participating in last week’s OTAs as he ran routes with the receivers and warmed up with the team. A truly small step for man, but one giant leap for Texans.
With that, I wanted to gauge the pulse of the writers on Dell’s return to the team, their general concern,
and thoughts on his impact on the Texans offense.
Question: Tank Dell caught passes during last week’s Organized Team Activities (OTAs). While not still 100%, Nick Caserio said he’ll be ready for Training Camp. What impact on the offense do you think Dell will have and are you worried about him reinjuring himself again?
Mike Bullock:
There is zero doubt that the Texans’ offense is more dynamic and dangerous with Dell on the field. He’s literally their “can score from anywhere, anytime” guy. He is that prototypical lightning bolt on wheels receiver. And while we all love to see those exciting, jaw dropping big plays, they always seem to come at a cost. Will Fuller V, anyone? At this point, expecting Dell to play a full season seems unrealistic. However, if Calley is smart and only uses Dell situationally, he can keep the miles off the dragster. Then, Dell is available deep into the playoffs when teams live and die by “score anywhere/anytime” plays that break games wide open.
VBallRetired:
This is a huge X factor. If we see 2023 and 2024 Dell then it could be the missing piece. Simply put, this defense hasn’t had a consistent deep threat since Dell went down. You could argue it was the main ingredient missing from the passing game last season. I’m cautiously optimistic at this point. I’m not quite ready to drink the Kool Aid yet. They still need to get Jaylin Noel up to speed just in case. They need an explosive playmaker
L4Blitzer:
Depends on what sort of player we get back and if the injury gods can leave him alone. If Dell can even get back to the receiver he was at the time of the ill-fated KC game, that would be a bonus. However, it seemed like Dell took a long time that season to get back into the offensive flow. Not impossible that happens again. However, injuries can begat injuries, and Dell can’t seem to avoid them. If Noel takes that next step, it may not matter what Dell does. If nothing else, Dell needs a good season for the sake of his NFL future, as he is a free agent after this year.
Kenneth L.:
As someone who has suffered two ACL and meniscus reconstructions, I’m eternally worried about Dell’s health and long-term sustainability. It took me 18 months to recover from the second surgery. Dell is approaching 18 months post-operation himself. I’m nowhere near the athlete Dell is, but I understand the process it takes to get back to 100%
As for expectations, I think keeping them low is the way to go. The multiple injuries, new offense, and less productive Stroud combine for a weak optimism for this Houston Texans offense. Dell could be the key to unlocking Stroud’s former glory, but every fan knows that’s directly predicated on the blocking of the offensive line. Expecting him to return to his 2023 form will be a tall task. However, that’s the expectation for many fans. I project him to receive a few less targets than Jayden Higgins in this offense and slowly improver week over week throughout the season as he settles into his body and this new offense.
