Tank Dell

Tank Dell To Undergo Multiple Surgeries; Texans WR’s 2025 Availability In Doubt

Tank Dell appeared to be on track for a long recovery as he exited the Texans’ Week 16 game on Saturday. Further testing confirmed the second-year receiver tore the ACL in his left knee in addition to dislocating his kneecap, leaving him unavailable to the Texans for the rest of the season.

When the news of the ACL tear came out, though, it was made clear Dell’s knee suffered other injuries as well. Providing specifics on that front, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports the 25-year-old is dealing with MCL and LCL tears, along with meniscus damage. As a result, Wilson adds Dell will require multiple surgeries to repair the issues.

That means a situation similar to that of Browns running back Nick Chubb will be in store. Chubb went down with his knee injury in Week 2 last year and was sidelined through the beginning of the current campaign. He returned in October before suffering a broken foot (which has left him out of the fold for the rest of the year). Given how late in the season Dell’s injury took place, though, his surgery schedule and recovery timeline could leave him on the sidelines deep into next season.

Taking that point further, Wilson writes it is “regarded as an extremely unlikely scenario” the former third-rounder will be able to play at any point in 2025. If that were to be the case, it would add considerably to his missed time early in his career. Dell was limited to 14 games as a rookie after suffering a fractured fibula, an injury which ended his encouraging year. Expectations were high for 2024, during which he averaged 48 yards per game and scored three touchdowns. The final year of the Houston product’s rookie contract is 2026, which might be the next time he is available.

The Texans did not add at the receiver position after Stefon Diggs suffered an ACL tear, but losing Dell prompted action. Houston claimed Diontae Johnson off waivers yesterday, and he will have the opportunity to move past his short-lived Ravens tenure as a result. Johnson was a non-factor in Baltimore’s offense after arriving via trade from Carolina, but he could take on a notable workload in Houston down the stretch. Providing a consistent complementary presence would be welcomed on a Texans offense which is notably shorthanded.

Houston’s attention will be on the final two games of the regular season in preparation for the second straight playoff appearance of C.J. Stroud‘s career. Dell’s absence will be felt, though, and his recovery process will be a key storyline during the offseason.

Texans WR Tank Dell Suffers ACL Tear

Further evaluation of Tank Dell‘s knee injury has not produced an encouaraging update. In addition to the dislocated kneecap he suffered on Saturday, the second-year receiver is dealing with a torn ACL.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans delivered the news Monday, confirming Dell will miss the remainder of the 2024 season. A long rehab process awaits, and remaining on the sidelines into the start of the 2025 campaign would not come as a surprise. In any case, Houston will be notably shorthanded at wideout moving forward.

[RELATED: Jimmie Ward Out For Season; Shaq Mason To Miss Time]

Dell went down after a collision with Jared Wayne while scoring a touchdown during the Texans’ loss to the Chiefs. He was immediately taken to hospital and diagnosed with the dislocated kneecap. As Ryans noted on Monday, however, the ACL in the affected knee has been torn in addition to other damage. It was unclear at first if surgery would be required, but obviously that is now the case.

The Texans lost Stefon Diggs earlier this year to an ACL tear of his own, an injury which led to an increased reliance on Dell and top wideout Nico Collins to compensate for his absence. Now, Collins is the lone remaining member of Houston’s lauded WR trio which entered the campaign with high expectations. In the wake of signing a long-term extension this offseason, Collins will be tasked with carrying the load in the passing game as the Texans prepare for the postseason.

The likes of Robert Woods, John Metchie and Xavier Hutchinson are in place as options (alongside Wayne) to fill larger roles down the stretch and through the playoffs. Houston has locked up top spot in the AFC South, but changes in seeding could still take place depending on the team’s final two games. That period will not include Dell, though, an absence which was also felt after he was lost for the year in 2023. Ryans said on Sunday it remains to be seen if the Texans will pursue a late addition at the receiver spot.

Dell’s involvement in the passing game was inconsistent this season, one in which Houston’s offense as a whole has underwhelmed. Still, the 25-year-old managed to record 667 yards and three touchdowns on 51 catches in 2024. Two more years remain on his rookie contract, but it will be quite some time before Dell next takes the field.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/23/24

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Tennessee Titans

The Titans’ decision to move on from Brayden Narveson comes as a bit of a surprise following this weekend’s roster machinations. The organization didn’t only promote the kicker from the practice squad…they also signed him through the 2025 campaign. With Nick Folk apparently approaching full health, the Titans have decided to stick with the veteran and move on from his fill-in.

Narveson’s stint with the Titans featured only a single appearance, when he missed his lone field goal attempt and converted two extra points in yesterday’s loss. Narveson spent the beginning of the season in Green Bay, where he converted 12 of his 17 field goal attempts.

Tank Dell Returns To Houston; Texans Undecided On WR Addition

Tank Dell remained in hospital overnight on Saturday, but he has rejoined his team. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said on Sunday Dell was set to return to Houston, a positive development in the wake of the frightening knee injury he suffered in Week 16. He has now arrived, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes.

Dell’s knee was hit by teammate Jared Wayne as he made a touchdown catch during the Texans’ loss to the Chiefs. The 25-year-old was taken directly to hospital and diagnosed with a dislocated kneecap. Ryans acknowledged the injury is “signficant,” and surgery could be an option. On that note, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports a procedure has not yet taken place, and it remains to be seen if one will be scheduled.

Given the severity of the situation, Dell is not expected to return to the Texans’ lineup any time soon. His absence will create another notable vacancy at the receiver position given his importance to the team’s passing game. Houston lost Stefon Diggs to a torn ACL in October, creating an increased reliance on Dell and No. 1 wideout Nico Collins over the remainder of the season. The latter is still in place atop the depth chart, but losing Dell for a lengthy stretch would leave quarterback C.J. Stroud without an important target down the stretch.

The Texans did not pursue wideout depth in advance of the trade deadline, relying on their incumbent options to compensate for Diggs’ injury. With Dell now out of the picture for an undetermined period, though, the team’s depth at that position will be tested further. Odell Beckham Jr. had his request to be let go by the Dolphins granted, and he is a free agent after passing through waivers unclaimed. Diontae Johnson‘s time with the Ravens has proven to be short-lived, meanwhile, and interest is expected to be high enough in his case that he will not reach free agency. Houston could look into one or both veterans, but it remains to be seen if that will take place.

“A little early right now for me when it comes to that,” Ryans said (via Florio) when asked whether or not the Texans are interested in making a receiver addition for the stretch run. “But we’re always exploring everything we have to do to improve our team.”

Houston has clinched the AFC South, but the team’s offense has regressed in a number of categories compared to Stroud’s impressive rookie season. Improving in time for the playoffs will be key if the Texans are to advance to at least the divisional round like they did in 2023. Their next game will come against the Ravens on Christmas Day, and it will be interesting to see if any WR-related moves will have been made by that point.

Texans WR Tank Dell Suffers Serious Knee Injury

5:55PM: According to an update from Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Dell has suffered a dislocated knee cap. Doctors at the hospital Dell was taken to have been working the determine the extent of the damage. Surgery is reportedly on the table, but it has not happened just yet.

Head coach DeMeco Ryans told the media in his postgame interview that Dell’s injury is significant. Ryans was already aware that Dell would need to remain just over the state line in Kansas to stay the night at the University of Kansas Medical Center for further evaluation. He’ll have to rejoin the team at a later date, once stabilized.

2:35PM: The Texans know already that they are headed to the postseason by way of an AFC South title, but it looks like they may be doing so without a two key weapons in the passing game. Already short veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a season-ending ACL tear, it looks like Houston will also be without Tank Dell after the second-year wideout suffered what looked to be a serious knee injury in today’s game against the Chiefs, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

Dell’s injury comes as an unfortunate result of friendly fire. As Dell caught a 30-yard touchdown in the back of the endzone, practice squad call up Jared Wayne collided with his knee as he dove for the ball, thinking the pass was intended for him. Dell was able to secure the ball with one hand, while his second hand shot immediately to his left knee.

The immediate aftermath was a somber scene as carts rushed out to the endzone and Dell’s teammates huddled around. Dell’s knee was stabilized, and he was carted off the field and, eventually, transported to the hospital. A vacuum splint was used to stabilize his entire left leg. That type of splint is usually used as when a training staff is worried about severe instability or fracture.

If the injury is as serious as it appeared to be, this continues what has been an extremely unfortunate start to Dell’s career. The 25-year-old got off to a hot start as a third-round rookie out of the nearby University of Houston. His impressive rookie campaign was unfortunately cut short when he suffered a fractured fibula that required season-ending ankle surgery. Still, in only 11 games, Dell produced a commendable 47 catches for 709 yards and seven touchdowns. Dell’s recovery took a crazy turn when, early in the offseason, he found himself as a victim in a public mass shooting outside a nightclub in Sanford, Florida.

The compounding injuries did not deter his recovery to the point that he missed any regular season time this year. Dell opened the season with the rest of the Texans, only missing a Week 4 contest due to a chest injury. With Nico Collins handling WR1 duties and the arrival of another star in Diggs, Dell had been operating in a reduced role this year, until Diggs suffered the season-ending injury of his own.

Coming into today, Dell had only one 100-yard receiving day and only two touchdowns on the year. Still, he was second on the team in receiving yards and third on the team in both receptions and receiving touchdowns. When Dell exited today, he was having perhaps the best game of his 2024 campaign. The play that resulted in his early exit left him with six catches for 98 yards and a touchdown on the day. He was on track to record season highs in all three categories today if he had been able to continue.

The Texans passing attack will face a tough task in replacing both Diggs and Dell in the playoffs this January. Collins will continue in his leading role, while John Metchie and Robert Woods will be asked to step up in major ways in the weeks to come.

They’ve got a couple weeks to feel out how their offense will work without Dell. While they can improve their playoff seeding with some wins and some help, they’re guaranteed a home playoff game as (at worst) the fourth seed. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the team playing it extremely safe for the remainder of the season, while Dell will likely need to begin his work getting back to the field in 2025.

Texans Not Expected To Add WR

The Texans recently lost wide receiver Stefon Diggs to a season-ending ACL tear. Despite the veteran representing one of the organization’s biggest offseason acquisitions (as well as signifying the organization’s desire to truly contend), the Texans won’t make any reactionary moves to replace the injured star.

[RELATED: Texans’ Stefon Diggs Suffers Torn ACL]

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Texans aren’t expected to make a “big splash” at wide receiver ahead of the trade deadline. Russini’s careful wording seemingly keeps the door open to some kind of WR transaction, but it seems unlikely that the front office will bring in any of the big names that remain available.

This approach could partly be due to the reinforcement the team will soon be receiving in wideout Nico Collins. The Texans are confident the wide receiver will return for the team’s Week 10 showdown with the Lions. If there was any time to add reinforcement, it would have been on Thursday night when the Texans were down to only one top wideout in Tank Dell. That game resulted in a loss, but the Texans can rest easy knowing they’ve already overcome their one-game stint with a decimated depth chart.

When the Texans had all three of their top WRs available, the team was already struggling to give the trio a full workload. Through the first three weeks of the season, Dell never got into more than 70 percent of his team’s offensive snaps; Dell topped that total in all but two of his healthy games in 2023. While the Texans may bring Collins along slowly following his return from a hamstring injury, the team can eventually turn to their duo for a full workload during the stretch run of the season.

Still, the Texans will have to look to the rest of their receivers room to step up with Diggs out of the lineup. Xavier Hutchinson has likely established himself as the team’s third WR, and the Texans also have steady veterans in Robert Woods and John Metchie. Assuming the Texans don’t make an addition to the receivers room, one of those aforementioned wideouts will still be called on to step up.

Latest On Texans WR Tank Dell

Tank Dell suffered minor injuries as one of the victims of an April nightclub shooting, but his recovery has gone well to date. The second-year Texans wideout is on track to take part in the team’s offseason workouts, although he could be limited for the time being.

Dell was hit in the leg, but his injuries required only a brief hospitalization. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 confirms no structural damage was suffered, and the 24-year-old is thus expected to make a full recovery. When addressing the situation, his trainer noted full participation in upcoming OTAs and minicamp should not be expected.

“I think [head coach] DeMeco [Ryans] will sit him out until the big camp in July,” Delfonte Diamond said (via Wilson). “I’m sure he’ll watch practice. DeMeco wants him to do routes on air. He’ll be at practice, I’m sure, but not full-go.”

Dell is of course also recovering from the fractured fibula which ended his encouraging rookie campaign. The Houston product was expected to be healthy in time for OTAs prior to the shooting, but his timeline to return to full practices has obviously been altered. A cautious approach on the team’s part would come as no surprise given Dell’s importance to Houston’s passing game.

The third-rounder totaled 709 yards and seven touchdowns in 11 games last year. He received at least eight targets on five occasions during that span, developing early chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud. Regaining that form would go a long way to the team repeating its success from 2023, although Houston also has Nico Collins – who had a career year last season – returning for 2024. The team traded for Stefon Diggs this offseason, and the four-time Pro Bowler will provide Stroud with another high-profile target.

Still, Dell proved he is capable of handling starting duties last season, so his recovery will be worth monitoring this summer. As things stand, though, he should be back to full participation by the time training camp begins in mid-July.

Texans WR Tank Dell Suffers Minor Injuries In Shooting

Texans third-round rookie sensation Tank Dell found himself the victim in a public mass shooting Saturday night at a Sanford, Florida, nightclub, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. The 24-year-old has reportedly already been released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery from his injuries.

Dell, a Daytona Beach native, was back in his hometown this weekend visiting his mother. Dell was apparently uninvolved in the shooting incident at Cabana Live but was caught in the resulting crossfire. Ten civilians, including Dell, suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the altercation, and Florida police took a 16-year-old suspect into custody after the shooting.

Dell had already been in the process of making a comeback from football-related injuries. The rookie standout missed the Texans’ final seven contests, including two postseason matchups, after suffering a fractured fibula. He underwent surgery to repair the fibula and has since made strides in his recovery.

Recently, Dell took part in Houston’s offseason conditioning program. He even participated in extra throwing sessions with fellow rookie standout quarterback C.J. Stroud, as well as extra training sessions with NFL trainer Justin Allen and private coach Delfonte Diamond.

Dell had previously told the media that he would be ready to participate in organized team activities when they start up in May. It’s unclear if this weekend’s incident will do anything to alter that timeline, but regardless, Dell is expected to make a full recovery and shouldn’t be affected by his injuries in the long term.

Texans WR Tank Dell Expected To Be Ready For OTAs

The Texans were one of the NFL’s biggest surprises in 2023, capturing the AFC South title and advancing to the divisional round of the postseason under the leadership of rookie QB C.J. Stroud and rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans. Another of Houston’s first-year talents, wide receiver Tank Dell, was unavailable for the club’s playoff push thanks to the fractured fibula that he suffered in a Week 13 win over the Broncos.

Luckily, it seems that the injury will have no long-term ramifications. Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 recently posted a video of Dell moving with apparent ease at a charity softball game, and Wilson notes that Dell is expected to be on the field when OTAs begin in the spring.

Dell, a third-round pick in the 2023 draft, was in the midst of a terrific rookie season, posting 47 catches for 709 yards and seven TDs in just 11 games (eight starts). In the run-up to his injury, Dell firmly established himself as a trusted weapon for Stroud, drawing double-digit targets every game from Weeks 9 through 11 and another eight chances in Week 12. He also saw some return work over the course of the season, taking back 11 punts for 100 yards and two kickoffs for 44 yards.

Houston’s receiving corps boasts a fair amount of young talent, with Dell entering his second pro season and breakout player Nico Collins just now eligible for an extension after finishing his third year in the league. A new deal for Collins, as well as a potential re-up for tight end Dalton Schultz and any number of other extensions or acquisitions will be made much easier by the fact that the Texans have their starting quarterback on a rookie contract for at least the next two seasons.

2022 second-rounder John Metchie finally got his first taste of NFL action in 2023 after his professional debut was delayed first by the ACL tear he suffered in the SEC title game in 2021, and then by Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia, and then by a hamstring strain that prevented him from getting much OTA work and sidelined him for Week 1 of the 2023 campaign. He ultimately played in every game from Week 2 forward, catching 16 balls for 158 yards. The hope is that he will be able to enjoy a fully-healthy offseason and hit the ground running when the regular season opens in September.

The elder statesman of the group, Robert Woods, is under contract through 2024 after inking a two-year deal with Houston last March. Another 2023 FA signing, Noah Brown, is out of contract, though the Texans may consider a new deal for him. While Brown battled injury trouble of his own last season, he managed to catch 33 balls for 572 yards (good for a career-high 17.2 yards-per-reception rate) and two TDs in 10 games (seven starts).

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/6/23

Today’s minor transactions from around the league:

Dallas Cowboys

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

The Cowboys made some adjustments to their injured reserve list today. Waletzko returned to practice today as he continues to work his way back from a shoulder injury. McKeon was placed on IR in order to make room for Hendershot after the latter’s activation. This will give McKeon a chance to deal with an ankle injury that’s bothered him this year and a chance to serve as a potential activation candidate for the playoffs.