The Houston Texans have been in the spotlight this offseason, particularly regarding their offense. While starting quarterback C.J. Stroud has garnered significant attention, questions have arisen about the wide receiver position, especially concerning Tank Dell's readiness to join the starting lineup.
Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle reports that Dell is not expected to be prepared for the Texans' season opener on September 13. Dell began participating in practice during the second week of training camp, albeit in a limited capacity, focusing on individual drills and a few 11-on-11 sessions. However, he has not practiced in front of the media for the past three days.
Despite two league sources indicating that Dell has not experienced a setback, he is not yet able to practice daily. It is also anticipated that he will miss the final preseason game, leaving limited time for recovery with only three weeks remaining until the season begins.
This situation may lead the Texans to consider retaining seven wide receivers on their 53-man roster instead of the usual six while waiting for Dell to return.
With Dell's status in flux, the Texans are also dealing with the injury of Jayden Higgins, who was expected to serve as the No. 2 wide receiver alongside Nico Collins. In light of Higgins’ ACL injury, Xavier Hutchinson and Jaylin Noel have emerged as potential candidates to fill the gap left by Higgins.
There remains uncertainty regarding Dell’s ability to regain his previous explosive playing style following his injury. While there is hope that he can return to form, the timeline for his return to the field is still unclear. Until Dell can participate in a complete regular season game, his reliability for the season remains uncertain.
