Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell is expected to miss the 2025 season.
This is per the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Alexander, who noted the ripple effect Dell’s anticipated absence will have.
Dell suffered the injury in Week 17 against the Kansas City Chiefs, coming away with multiple torn ligaments. On the eve of Alexander’s report, Dell sent a strong message about his future, with a nod to his detractors.
“Delayed but not denied,” Dell posted on X on May 2. “Say what you want I’ll be back.”
“Dell will more than likely miss the 2025 season and be placed on the physically unable to perform list, given the nature of his knee injury and the timing of his ACL surgery, which took place just two months ago,” Alexander wrote on May 4. “The timetable for ACL injuries is typically six to 12 months. Dell also dislocated his knee, tore other ligaments and damaged his meniscus.”
Recovery is a familiar task for Dell. He caught 51 passes for 667 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2024. However, also played in 11 games as a rookie after fracturing his fibula. He posted a message about his adversity earlier in 2025.
“Idk why I keep going thru sh!t but my faith still remain strong…,” Dell posted on X in January.
Dell’s presence will be missed on the field by quarterback C.J. Stroud and his fellow wideouts, from whom he draws attention. It also sets up a potentially heated training camp battle.
Tank Dell’s Injury & Draft Decision Leaves Texans With ‘Nearly Impossible’ Task
GettyTank Dell’s injury adds additional uncertainty for the Houston Texans’ WR room.
In December 2024, C2Houst9n.com’s Aaron Wilson reported that Dell’s outlook to play in 2025 was “an extremely unlikely scenario.” The Texans acted accordingly, selecting Iowa State’s Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel in the 2025 draft.
Alexander said the newest additions mean “multiple things” for the team’s veteran receivers, which stands 12 deep ahead of the veteran portion of the offseason program.
Nico Collins is WR1 with offseason trade acquisition Christian Kirk his likely sidekick in the slot.
In addition to Dell, Higgins and Noel, the Texans also have youngsters Jared Wayne , John Metchie III , Johnny Johnson III , Xavier Hutchison , Xavier Johnson , and veterans Braxton Berrios and Justin Watson .
Per Alexander, Collins, Kirk, Higgins, and Noel (Dell will not count for roster spot purposes) are the “locks” of the group. Sorting out the rest in the spring is “nearly impossible.”
Alexander expects a battle between the others as the Texans get their WR count down to six.
Texans Praised for Double Dipping on Iowa State WRs in 2025 Draft
GettyJaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins could both see the field early as rookies with the Houston Texans.
The Texans’ decision to select both Higgins and Noel was rare, given that they came from the same school.
However, rival executives lauded the move , noting the impact it could have on Stroud.
“They have Tank Dell coming off injury and lost Stefon Diggs , but man, when Dell gets healthy, adding the receivers they got — (Jayden) Higgins, (Jaylin) Noel — to go with Nico Collins, wow, C.J. Stroud is going to have weapons galore,” an anonymous executive said, per The Athletic’s Mike Sando on May 1.
Collins and Higgins, who could man the perimeter in three-receiver sets, both stand at 6-foot-4, giving Stroud two big-bodied targets.
Noel, a speedster, could give Kirk a run for the slot spot and help the Texans replace Dell in 2025.
“The quarterback is going to have an 8- to 10-year relationship with those two Iowa State kids (Higgins and Noel), and I think he’s going to have a great year,” another anonymous executive said, per Sando. “Higgins can play outside the numbers in press coverage and win. The way he times his jumps, makes contested catches, wins on fade balls, jumps over guys, I love him. Noel is all business.”
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