Texans place Tank Dell on IR as WR out at least 4 weeks
The Houston Texans placed wide receiver Tank Dell on injured reserve Sunday as the team made its 53-man roster cuts. Dell will not be eligible to return to action until Week 5.
Dell missed all of 2025 after suffering multiple torn ligaments and a dislocated kneecap in the Texans' Week 16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024. He was hurt when wideout Jared Wayne collided with his knee after Dell caught a touchdown pass from C.J. Stroud.
Dell did not start training camp on the physically unable to perform list, but he mostly took part in only individual drills. He participated in team drills on only two days, and just one of those was with pads. He caught a pass over the middle from backup quarterback Davis Mills during his only team session, on Aug. 10, but that morning was the last time he took part in 11-on-11s.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans had preached patience regarding Dell, a 2023 third-round pick, saying on Aug. 17 that Houston had a plan for him. "Tank Dell is on his own plan," Ryans said. "So however that looks, whatever it entails, it'll be all geared toward what's best for Tank Dell."
Dell is the second Texans receiver to land on injured reserve, after Jayden Higgins suffered a season-ending torn ACL during joint practices with the Raiders. Houston will rely on wideouts Nico Collins, Xavier Hutchinson, recently acquired Kayshon Boutte and Jaylin Noel to fill the void. Sixth-round rookie wideout Lewis Bond also was cut Sunday.