Will Tank Dell’s expected Texans return from gruesome knee injury impact NFL Draft strategy?

The Houston Texans are a bit of a wild card for the 2026 NFL Draft. Will they target needs or the best available player? And will Tank Dell’s expected return from his gruesome knee injury impact the Texans’ draft strategy?

Things are looking up for Dell, according to a post on X by DJ Bien-Aime.

“Texans GM Nick Caserio said Tank Dell is “day to day. Probably get a better idea as we get through the spring.” Dell missed all of 2025 with a knee injury.

But Caserio said it doesn’t make a draft-day difference.

“Caserio added that Dell’s availability won’t affect Houston’s approach at WR in the draft. ‘If there’s a receiver that we like that we want to add to the team and we’re going to take them independent [of Tank]… The competition will sort itself out.’ ”

Texans WR Tank Dell has people rooting for his comeback

Head coach DeMeco Ryans said Dell has been putting in the work necessary to get back on the field, according to a post on X by Aaron Wilson.

“(Ryans said); ‘Tank, he’s grinding. Great attitude. Don’t know if OTA’s he’ll be there, but I know he’ll back for us at some point this year. As I told Tank, it’s not a matter of getting back to OTA’s just to get back, it’s just a matter of getting back in a really good spot physically to where you stay there.

‘That’s the main thing. ‘It’s not about how quickly he returns. It’s just about Tank returning because we saw what Tank can do , the playmaking that he provides to our entire team. Just getting him back, whenever that time is, it’s going to lift our team.’ “

The Texans got Dell in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He scored 10 touchdowns over his first two seasons, but missed all of 2025 with a knee injury. He tore his ACL, MCL, LCL, and meniscus.

Dell said the injury made him strong, according to houstonchronicle.com.

“What I’ve been through is something that taught me to be humble and just keep working,” Dell said.

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