The Houston Texans have trimmed a little weight off Tank Dell’s contract, and in the process opened up some room on their books heading into the 2026 season.
Per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, Houston and Dell reworked the final year of his deal, lowering the cap hit from a previous figure of nearly $4 million. Dell had been set to make $3.6 million, but the revised structure now includes a $1.14 million salary, a $500,000 signing bonus and a $1.9 million cap number.
#Texans receiver Tank Dell contract renegotiated in final year of deal: due $1.704 million, including $500,000 signing bonus, $1 million total guaranteed, salary cap figure $1.988 million, salary $1.145 million. On injured reserve-designated for return, Dell previously due $3.624… pic.twitter.com/XhZHfRo79G
That adjustment frees up $1.9 million in cap space for Houston while keeping Dell on the roster through the 2026 season before he reaches free agency in 2027.
There’s also a good chance the contract still has incentives tied to this season, giving Dell a path to recoup some of the money he gave up if he can get back on the field and produce.
Dell is currently on injured reserve with a designation to return after the Texans’ roster cutdowns. That means he has to sit out at least four weeks before Houston can open his 21-day practice window and make him eligible to play again.
His last NFL game came in December of 2024 against the Kansas City Chiefs, when he suffered the severe knee injury he has been working to come back from.
The Texans have been encouraged by his progress, though. Dell was seen on the practice field during training camp in August, even with the rehab process still very much underway.
For Houston, the latest tweak to Dell’s deal is another small step toward sorting out the cap picture before Week 1. It may not be a splashy move, but it gives the team a little more flexibility as the season approaches.
According to @TexansCap on X, Houston is now sitting at $8.7 million in projected cap space.
🚨Updated Houston Texans Salary Cap Space. The team is in a comfortable position to start the 2026 season. pic.twitter.com/5tGqIFiuXl
That leaves the Texans in position to make a move later if they need to add depth through free agency or a trade, even if they’re content with the roster they have right now.
So far, Houston has only made a couple of housekeeping moves after cuts, bringing back Brevin Jordan and Dominique Robinson. The team has not shown any direct interest in adding another player from the free-agent market since then.
Still, the flexibility is there. And for a team trying to get settled before the season starts, that’s never a bad place to be.
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