Essentials Inside The Story
- Dolphins recently acquired QB Malik Willis to a three-year, $67.5 million deal
- Miami is already eating over $175 million in dead money
- Experts believe Achane's next contract could exceed the $48 M deal James Cook signed
The Miami Dolphins are starting fresh under a new leadership team led by General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley. The team under new management has parted ways with key players like Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle, and Tyreek Hill. As part of their roster overhaul, their next move involved De’Von Achane, who enters the final year of his rookie deal with the team.
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“Sources: Teams that have called the Miami Dolphins to inquire about trading for Pro-Bowl RB De’Von Achane have been told that he is not available,” revealed Adam Schefter on X.
Sources: Teams that have called the Miami Dolphins to inquire about trading for Pro-Bowl RB De’Von Achane have been told that he is not available.
Financially, the team has taken more than $175 million in “dead money” for the upcoming season. Despite the team’s willingness to purge other parts of the roster, they have drawn a line by making the RB unavailable for other teams.
Achane is currently in the third year of a 4-year, $5.44 million rookie contract, meaning he is scheduled to become a free agent after next season.
While trading him now would help the Dolphins avoid a massive extension next year and net them valuable draft picks, GM Jon-Eric Sullivan clearly views the 24-year-old as a foundation for the future.
When healthy, De’Von Achane is easily one of the most explosive players in the league. Since coming out of the 2023 draft, he has averaged 6.1 yards every time he touches the ball. He’s also coming off a 2025 season where he basically carried the ground game, racking up 1,350 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns on 238 carries.
Looking forward, he’s set to become the engine of this revamped offense next to Malik Willis. The Dolphins brought Willis earlier this month on a three-year, $67.5 million deal, signaling a huge shift for the franchise. As part of Miami’s 2026 campaign, Malik will enter the team as a starter, replacing Jaylen Waddle.
While the Dolphins made several trades involving key players like Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos and defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Jets, the new leadership still retained Achane.
Dolphins’ front office believes that Achane is a difference maker
Miami’s new GM, Sullivan, made the team’s feelings clear when he was asked about a possible extension for Achane at the NFL Scouting Combine.
“He’s a marvelous player. We want him to be part of this thing moving forward. De’Von Achane is a difference maker. He’s a three-down back, a home run [hitter]. We will have those conversations with him as well as some other guys as we move down the road, but that’s going to be later in the summer.”
Imago
2YYW1N8 Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane (28) scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Statistically, Achane has put up some of the best numbers in Dolphins history, trailing only the legendary Ricky Williams. In 44 games, he has rushed for over 3,000 yards and scored 22 touchdowns.
Because he is also great at catching passes, experts think his new contract will be even bigger than the $48 million deal James Cook recently signed with Buffalo.
The big question now is whether the Dolphins are actually drawing up a new deal or just playing it smart. By temporarily keeping things on ice, the front office might be testing the waters to see what other teams are willing to offer before they commit to a massive extension.