Texans’ Tank Dell takes encouraging step forward in his comeback from devastating knee injury

HOUSTON – Tank Dell took arguably one of his most important steps in the latest stage of his ongoing comeback from a devastating knee injury.

The Texans wide receiver caught passes in drills against the first-team defense, ranked atop the league last year.

After missing an entire season due to a dislocated knee along with torn anterior cruciate, medial collateral and lateral collateral ligaments and undergoing two surgeries, Dell is making strides.

He was able to run and cut, albeit not yet at his old dynamic self. He is not a full participant in organized Team activities. Nonetheless, Dell looked pretty good.

It was an encouraging sign for Dell, the former University of Houston standout who has endured hard luck and tough breaks while flashing a lot of skill and impactful playmaking in his first few NFL seasons.

First, Dell broke his leg as a rookie. Then, he got shot as an innocent bystander that offseason in his leg. Two seasons ago, Dell tore up his knee while catching a touchdown pass against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Texans are taking a patient, big-picture approach with Dell. The hope is that he can ramp up his participation by training camp and regain his old form.

“Tank is still working off on the side,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said during the first organized team activity. “When that time is set for him to be back, he’ll be back out there.”

And that time is approaching, gradually.

“Tank has been around, working out all throughout the offseason while no one else was here,” Ryans said. “Tank has been here working, grinding in the background. I’m excited to see Tank when it is his time to get back out and play football, as is everybody here. We all love Tank. We’ve seen the ability that he has, the big playmaking ability.

“Nobody loves Tank more than me. I’m hopeful that we can get him back to playing, back to the level that he was playing. But I think it’s also, we know how devastating of an injury that was for Tank. So, I’m proud of the young man. For him just working in the background, working in silence to be back here working out with the guys and having that opportunity to go play again.”

Texans general manager Nick Caserio said previously that the team will evaluate where Dell stands after spring workouts to determine his activity level at training camp. He was noncommittal on a timeline.

“With Tank, honestly, it’s probably a day-to-day, we’ll kind of see where he is,” Caserio said. “Probably have a better idea as we get through the spring of what his availability is going to be in training camp. He’s been here pretty religiously, since he’s been able to do more once he’s gotten out of the rehab stage.”

Dell has fought through all of the doubt and frustration of an injury that interrupted the dynamic start to his NFL career, leaning on faith, hard work, family, friends and coaches like Ryans to remain positive and optimistic.

Dell called it the hardest year of his life.

Dell is looking forward to making a healthy return and get back to playing the game he loves.

“What I’ve been through is something that taught me to be humble and just keep working, I’m back, I’m feeling good right now,” Dell said earlier this offseason. “Once the season comes, I’m gonna cook up.”

Running free, catching touchdown passes, bolting past coverage.

That’s the vision for Dell. The comeback trail is being paved month by month for Dell as he continues to strengthen his surgically repaired knee.

Dell tried to make a return for the end of the season as the Texans made another playoff run that ended in the divisional round, but it was regarded as too soon for him to get back out there.

“I was making a push, I wanted to be out there with the guys,” Dell said. “Last year, that football season alone, was the hardest year of my life. Just sitting out of football for a year straight.

“Been playing football since I was five and that was my first year I ever had to sit out of football so that was hard. I tried to make a push back, it didn’t go as planned. I got time now and I’ll be ready.”

Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com