HOUSTON – Texans rookie wide receiver Tank Dell is expected back from a concussion following an open week and is projected to return for a road game against the Carolina Panthers.
Dell was sidelined against the New Orleans Saints while under the NFL concussion protocol. His symptoms have subsided and he is feeling much better, per league sources, after getting hurt against the Atlanta Falcons while making a catch and landing on his head.
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Dell has caught 19 passes for 324 yards and two touchdowns on 28 targets. The third-round draft pick from the University of Houston is on pace for 79 catches, 918 yards and six touchdowns.
“Tank should be back and ready to go after the bye as well,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said.
Texans rookie center Juice Scruggs is nearly back from a strained hamstring that prompted the team to place him on injured reserve. Scruggs’ leg has improved significantly. The Texans haven’t had to rush their second-round draft pick from Penn State back because rookie center Jarrett Patterson has played solidly in starting the first six games of the season.
“We’ll see where Juice is when we come back from the bye,” Ryans said. “He’s had a good week last week, so we’ll see if he continues to progress in the right direction.”
When starting center Scott Quessenberry was ruled out for the season on injured reserve with torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments, Scruggs was supposed to replace him. Instead, Scruggs got hurt in the preseason against the Saints and was placed on injured reserve, too.
During his NFL preseason debut against the New England Patriots, in a dozen snaps, Scruggs acquitted himself well.
Scruggs didn’t look out of place at all. He looked strong and confident.
“There’s some good stuff to build on,” Texans offensive line coach Chris Strausser told KPRC 2 at the time. “Twelve plays is not a lot to evaluate, but there was enough stuff to see there. Definitely got some of the details stuff to clean up that you would probably expect from a rookie, but he’s showing his athleticism, which was exciting to see.”
Texans veteran linebacker Denzel Perryman, a former Pro Bowl selection with the Las Vegas Raiders, was inactive against the Saints. Perryman started the previous game at an unfamiliar position, Will linebacker, and didn’t have a great game. He is playing with a broken hand and is wearing a protective club. The club was the primary reason he didn’t play against the Saints along with Christian Harris being back from a concussion. The Texans’ top performing linebacker against the Saints was Blake Cashman, who recorded a career-high 15 tackles with two tackles for losses and two passes defensed.
“Denzel is a fighter,” Ryans said. “He wants to go out there, but with him with the club cast on and having Christian back at this time, I don’t think it would be beneficial to Denzel to put him out there with one hand.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
