Tank Dell Misses Houston Texans Practice Ahead Preseason Finale

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell sat out practice again on August 24, 2026, putting his availability for Friday night's preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium in serious doubt.

Dell has not taken part in full team drill repetitions in two weeks, when he caught a pass from backup quarterback Davis Mills during an August 10 practice session. That appearance had signaled progress in his recovery from a severe knee injury suffered in December 2024 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The former third-round draft pick sustained a dislocated left kneecap alongside tears to his ACL, MCL, LCL, and meniscus during that 2024 game. The extensive damage forced Dell to miss the entirety of the 2025 NFL season.

Reports from league sources indicate Dell has not suffered a formal setback, but his inability to practice on consecutive days makes a Week 1 return against the Buffalo Bills on September 13 unlikely. Houston faces additional receiving core depth issues following wideout Jayden Higgins' season-ending ACL injury.

If the Texans place Dell on the Injured Reserve list to start the regular season, he will be required to sit out at least four games. Under that timeline, Dell would not be eligible to return until Houston's Week 5 matchup against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans addressed Dell's recovery timeline during a radio interview, noting the team's individualized approach to his return process.

"With Tank, he's on his own plan," said Ryans, Head Coach of the Houston Texans. "Whatever that entails, geared toward what's best for Tank Dell."

Ryans detailed the progressive steps Dell took early in camp before his recent practice absences.

"We've taken our time to kind of ramp him up slowly," said Ryans, Head Coach of the Houston Texans. "So the first week, he was just on the side still working with some individual stuff... And now, this past week, he got into routes on air.

He got into group install. And yesterday, for the first time, he was able to get into team drills... It's beautiful to watch."

The head coach praised the receiver's determination throughout his nearly 20-month rehabilitation process.

"It's just a great moment for a kid who went through such a devastating injury, and now to see him rebound, to know how much time he's put in," said Ryans, Head Coach of the Houston Texans. "Man, I'm proud of him. We'll keep giving him a little bit more every day. Planning for him to, hopefully, get out there in one of these preseason games coming up, and we'll be ready to go for the season."

Houston will close out its exhibition schedule against Carolina before finalizing its 53-man roster ahead of the September regular season opener.