The Houston Texans entered the 2024 NFL season with arguably the best-looking receiving corps in football, but it didn't take long for things to take a turn for the worse.
Nico Collins got banged up early, Stefon Diggs tore his ACL in October and Tank Dell suffered a gruesome knee injury late in the year that will almost surely cost him all of 2025.
Now, Diggs is gone, and with Dell recovering from such a major injury, the Texans are in flux at the wide receiver position heading into next season, regardless of the offseason additions they made.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans provided an update on Dell's status on Monday, and while things sounded positive, it doesn't really look like the young pass-catcher will be returning to the field anytime soon.
"He's working as hard anyone I've seen, trying to get himself back," Ryans told reporters, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. "We'll see how that process continues to go, but the main thing is he's doing well mentally. The physical part, the rehab process, he's putting the work in and putting himself in position, and whenever he comes back we'll be there for him."
There clearly isn't a timetable for Dell's return, which does not come as too much of a surprise given the severity of the injury. He suffered a dislocated knee, multiple torn ligaments and meniscus damage, which may even put his career in jeopardy.
In 14 games this past year, the 25-year-old caught 51 passes for 667 yards and three touchdowns. He appeared in just 11 contests during his rookie campaign in 2023 due to a fractured fibula, and during that time, he snared 47 balls for 709 yards and seven scores.
DeMeco Ryans Breaks Silence on Texans' Trade Acquisition
The Houston Texans ensured to make a significant shakeup to the back-end of their defensive unit early this offseason by bringing in Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson as a veteran, recent Super Bowl-winning addition to an already strong unit on that side of the ball.
Thanks to their deal to send out former-first round offensive lineman Kenyon Green and a fifth-round pick, the Texans secured the services of Gardner-Johnson along with a sixth-round pick.
And now with the initial dust of this offseason settled, we're starting to hear a bit from the Texans brass on the decision to bring in Gardner-Johnson, and it's clear the team's pumped to have his skill set on board.
DeMeco Ryans recently reacted to Houston's move of bringing in Gardner-Johnson during this offseason's annual owners meeting, where he didn't hold back his excitement for his new addition on defense.
"C.J [Gardner-Johnson] instantly improves our back-end. Not only from his play, but him pairing with Calen [Bullock], and Calen's game is definitely going to improve from just seeing how C.J. plays, and how he prepares. You can feel the passion and the love for football that C.J. has. My first conversation with him, he got me fired up talking to him. So, he's going to fit right in as a swarm player for us, and I'm excited to get to work with him."
Gardner-Johnson is coming off an impactful season as a part of a dominant secondary in Philadelphia. During his 2024 campaign, he started in 16 contests to collect 59 combined tackles, 12 passes defended, and six interceptions en route to become one of the better safeties in the NFL.
Now, he gets a chance to reclaim that success with his new situation in Houston. Clearly, his coaching staff is confident he can make it happen, while also making a few of his surrounding teammates better in the process.
