The Houston Texans remain optimistic Tank Dell will return to the field in 2026. But Texans general manager Nick Caserio made it very clear that they will not let that determine their approach to the wide receiver prospects in this year’s draft.
Moreover, Caserio put at least one other position group on notice with his remarks on Monday.
He also once again set the stage for another active draft regarding potential trades, something his group has been wont to do.
Texans Still Waiting on Tank Dell Amid Draft Plans
GettyTank Dell #3 of the Houston Texans warms up before a game against the Tennessee Titans.
Caserio largely reiterated his previous messaging regarding Dell, who has been at the Texans’ facilities this offseason. He is not 100% yet, but they expect to know more in the spring. Dell, who suffered a significant knee injury in 2024, missed the entire 2025 season.
It is his second major injury since entering the league as a third-round pick in the 2023 draft.
Caserio and the Texans remain optimistic about Dell’s outlook, but the receiver’s status will not impact the Texans’ plans.
“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],” Caserio said, per ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime on April 13. “The competition will sort itself out.”
The Texans have shown an interest in the class.
That is not including Dell’s friend and draft classmate C.J. Stroud working out with former LSU Tigers wideout and 2026 prospect Chris Hilton Jr.
The Texans have shown an interest in former Texas Tech Red Raiders star Caleb Douglas and ex-SMU Mustangs playmaker Jordan Hudson. With other players missing time in addition to not having Dell, the Texans would be wise to bolster their group even further.
They already have Nico Collins and have used recent draft picks on three others.
Still, actions speak volumes, and the Texans have not ignored the position, even as they acknowledge needs elsewhere before the draft.
Texans’ TEs on Notice
GettyDalton Schultz #86 of the Houston Texans stiff arms Devin White #45 of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Dell and the wide receivers were not the only position group that battled injuries for the Texans last season.
Caserio also noted that the Texans are looking at their tight end group.
“We got a lot of guys in some different categories,” Caserio said of the group that includes starter Dalton Schultz and backups Cade Stover, Brevin Jordan, and 2026 free agency signing Foster Moreau.
“There’s some question marks if we’re just being real. But we think there’s some players there that potentially can help us.”
Nick Caserio Singles Out Texans’ QBs Before Draft
GettyDavis Mills #10 of the Houston Texans is interviewed following the 36-29 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Caserio was not singling out injury-plagued players like Dell or Jordan, leaving the door open for the Texans to add at almost any position in the upcoming draft.
Every group but the quarterbacks should be on alert.
“I would say, other than quarterback, there’s no position that we wouldn’t consider drafting, if that’s what the board told us,” Caserio said, explaining the Texans’ approach to taking the best player available. “That’s why we set the board. That’s why we spend as much time on it as possible, and say, ‘Okay, here’s a group we’re picking from.’”
The Texans have three quarterbacks under contract, with Stroud, Davis Mills, and 2025 sixth-round selection Graham Mertz. Mills is in the final year of his contract, though, and could garner trade interest.
It remains to be seen how unexpected events like that would impact the thinking on Mills, Dell, or any other players on the Texans’ roster as the draft approaches.
Nick Caserio Delivers Notice on Texans’ Draft Plans Amid Tank Dell Update