Texans' Tank Dell 'Fine' Despite Absence vs. Dolphins

Rookie wide receiver Tank Dell was a late-game scratch for the Houston Texans Saturday night. But according to coach DeMeco Ryans, Dell will be fine.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans left NRG Stadium Saturday evening with a 28-3 preseason loss to the Miami Dolphins. Despite a drive where quarterback C.J. Stroud led the Texans to 61 yards in 11 plays, Houston's offense had an all-around subpar performance.

The surprised absence of Tank Dell played a role in the Texans' lackluster offense. Houston held it's rookie wide receiver out for precautionary reasons after participating in pre-game activities. 

According to Brian Barefield of the Texans Wire, Dell was experiencing tightness in his legs following the first day of joint practices with the Dolphins. 

"With Tank, he felt a little tightness there — Tank will be fine," coach DeMeco Ryans said. "I thought it wasn't smart to put him out there in this preseason game, but Tank will be fine."

Dell has not taken the helm as the Texans' No. 1 target in the passing game, but his absence did hinder the production of the offense.

The Dolphins' secondary had trouble defending Dell during Wednesday's joint practice at the Houston Methodist Training Center. He finished the day with three touchdowns, displaying his "dynamic" skill set as a playmaker.

During his debut against the New England Patriots on Aug. 10, Dell recorded a team-best 65 yards on five catches and a touchdown at Gillette Stadium.

The play of the night came on 1st and goal with 16 seconds left in the first half. With the ability to keep his body in bounds, Dell scored the Texans' first touchdown with a 24-yard completion from quarterback Davis Mills. 

With Dell a late-game scratch, running back Mike Boone led the Texans with 32 yards on four catches in the loss to the Dolphins.

"What I saw from Tank [Dell] when he was at the [University of Houston] – you saw a dynamic playmaker," Ryans said. "A guy who was always open, despite his size. A lot of people kind of put a knock on him because of his size, but I never saw that as an issue in college, and it’s showing up here. 

"From his first day, even throughout the game, everybody sees the wild plays, the big explosive plays, but as Bobby [Slowik] mentioned, what sets him apart is that intent."

---

You can follow Coty M. Davis on Twitter at @CotyDavis_24

Want the latest in breaking and insider news for the Houston Texans? Click Here

Follow Texans Daily on Twitter and Facebook

Make sure to subscribe to our daily podcast @LockedOnTexans today! Click here To Listen.

Want even more Houston Texans news? Check out the SI.com team page here.