Tank Dell Is Still Not Cleared For Contact, and That Tells You Everything About His ‘Return’

Tank Dell is officially starting the season on injured reserve, which means Houston’s dynamic wideout will miss the first four games. That’s a gut punch for Texans fans hoping to see their guy back on the field, especially with Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills just around the corner. Despite general manager Nick Caserio’s recent positive updates on Dell’s rehabilitation process, the reality of his recovery paints a much more complex picture.

“Close” Is a Tricky Word When You’re Not Cleared for Contact

Caserio told reporters that Dell “is close. He is not quite there,” when discussing his status ahead of Week 1. “Close” is doing some heavy lifting here, because Dell tore his ACL, MCL, LCL, and other ligaments in a game back in December 2024 against Kansas City. That’s a brutal list of injuries, folks. While Caserio mentioned Dell is “definitely closer now than he was let’s say in Training Camp,” he also admitted there’s “a little bit more work that remains.” The proof is in the practice reports, or lack thereof. Dell has practiced in spurts this offseason, mostly running individual drills with light padding. The big kicker? He’s still not cleared for contact drills, nor has he run formations with the team at full speed. So yeah, “close” means a very specific thing here: close to the next step, not close to game action.

The Long Road Back to the Field

So, when can we actually expect Dell to suit up? The injured reserve designation means he’ll miss those first four games, with the earliest he could be cleared to practice coming before a divisional matchup against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5. Caserio also clarified the process for returning players, stating that once they start practicing, teams have 21 days to activate them or make a decision. The GM isn’t committing to anything concrete, only saying, “I think we’ll have a little more information once we get into October on a lot of those players.” Before his injury, Dell was a beast, racking up 98 catches for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns in 25 games across two healthy seasons. He even said early in training camp he wouldn’t push himself beyond his limits, with the plan to return “better than before.”

Look, everyone wants to see Tank Dell back, especially after putting up those numbers. But “close” doesn’t mean game-ready. Texans fans will be circling that Week 5 date with the Titans, hoping that October brings not just more information, but a real, tangible step toward seeing No. 1 back on the field and tearing it up again. Until then, it’s just continued rehab and waiting.

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Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.