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.