Nick Caserio: Tank Dell is close, but certain things we have to see

Published September 1, 2026 06:50 PM The wait for wide receiver Tank Dell to return to the Texans lineup will last at least four more games.Dell was placed on injured reserve as the team moved to a 53-man roster on Sunday and that gives him more time to work on regaining his form after the knee injury that has kept him out since late in the 2024 season. On Tuesday, Texans General Manager Nick Caserio shared why Dell went on injured reserve after avoiding the physically unable to perform list to open camp. “I’d say he’s close,” Caserio said at a press conference. “He is not quite there, which is why he’s in the category that he’s in. I think we’ll have a better idea with a lot of these guys after four weeks or four games, whatever it is. I’d say he’s definitely closer now than he was — let’s say in training camp. There’s a little bit more work that remains. Overall, he’s in pretty good spirits. There are certain things we just have to see. Some of this too, is honestly for him mentally to make sure he has enough confidence so that he can go out there and perform the way he’s capable of, the way he knows how to.”The Texans traded for Kayshon Boutte after Jayden Higgins tore his ACL this summer, but the return of a healthy Dell would still be a needed boost to the receiving corps at some point this season. It will be several weeks before we have a better idea of when such a return might be possible.