Back in November 2023, after CJ Stroud‘s 470-yard offensive explosion against Tampa Bay, DeMeco Ryans singled out Tank Dell not just for the box score, but for his connection to the team’s heartbeat. “You see Tank and C.J.—that bond is real,” Ryans told reporters. “Tank’s energy—it rubs off on everybody.” That wasn’t just a postgame nod. For a head coach establishing culture and a third-round wide receiver striving to show he was more than just depth, that shared belief was significant. It wasn’t forced chemistry; it was the building block of what Houston was on the verge of becoming. But before long, everything changed in a way the Texans weren’t prepared for.

Dell’s promising second season ended in Week 13 when he broke his fibula against the Broncos. It was a gut punch not only to the offense but to the entire locker room. “It was an emotional gut blow,” Ryans explained during camp this week. “You see him get hurt, and it hurts. He’s one of our top receivers, top playmakers. we definitely missed him.” Since then, Dell hasn’t vanished or pouted. Instead, he’s become the man in the front row of all the meetings, football in hand, completely engaged. Ryans said. “He lights up any room that he enters.”

Ryans also mentioned, ”He’s in every meeting in the front row with a football in his hand.” This speaks for his dedication to the game and the kind of hustle he’s ready to put in so he can be back on the field as soon as possible.

Prior to the injury, Dell had added to his breakout rookie season with another productive showing. 51 catches, 667 yards, and three scores in 14 games. His 2023 statistics (47-709-7) already had folks referring to him as one of the league’s better value selections. He was soon C.J. Stroud’s favorite in scramble situations and red-zone configurations, due to his sharp routes and willingness to go in over the middle. Stroud praised Dell’s ability to read plays and adjust mid-route, calling him a natural on broken plays.

But while Dell is rehabbing, Houston has retooled its offense quietly. The Texans added veteran Christian Kirk through a trade, drafted Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, and hired Nick Caley as their new offensive coordinator. Caley, who had time with New England, will bring a timing-based scheme that is founded on spacing and motion. Something Dell did well before his injury. Ryans has been adamant that the staff is not rushing him back, but also has not hesitated to refer to him as a cornerstone of the 2025 puzzle.

The optimism is there, and so is the patience. And with Dell showing up every day with the same energy and focus, that return seems more like a countdown than a question mark.

Stroud under pressure

While the Dell story provides a positive arc, C.J. Stroud took another hit this week with the announcement that running back Joe Mixon has been put on the non-football injury (NFI) list with a foot injury. Mixon’s loss is not only a blow to the stat line, it throws off a central component of Houston’s offense. The NFI designation indicates the injury happened away from team activities, and initial reports indicate Mixon might be out for a while.

For Stroud, 2025 was supposed to be the launchpad for him into the elite. He was surrounded by the weapons in Stefon Diggs, Nico Collins, and a (hopefully healthy) Dell, and at back anchored by Mixon. The whole setup looked ideal. Of course, with Diggs gone, and Dell and Mixon out for long periods, that entire plan gets complicated. Houston retains Dameon Pierce and 2024 pick Jawhar Jordan, but neither brings the same veteran security Mixon did. Pierce is tough but has been inconsistent, and Jordan, explosive as he is, still learns the pro game.

Nick Caley‘s scheme can turn more toward hots and screens. But that means putting too much on Stroud’s shoulders at the beginning of the season. Despite that, though, there’s optimism within the facility. Stroud’s rapport with his receiving unit remains solid. Diggs has become a vocal leader, and Collins keeps building off his 2024 breakout. If Dell somehow returns early, it might serve to cushion the blow of Mixon’s absence. Still, nobody’s downplaying the task at hand.

For Ryans, who’s in his third year as head coach, this is the type of adversity that tests a locker room’s mettle. “The season always tests you in ways you don’t anticipate,” he said. If there is one thing Ryans has demonstrated particularly in the way he’s supported Dell through rehab. It’s that he prioritizes consistency amidst chaos. And for a young quarterback looking to make the next jump, that level of stability could be equally valuable as possessing every available weapon.