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Broncos Get Final Answer on De’Von Achane Trade Chatter

Oct 26, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Dolphins running back De'Von Achane (28) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Brett Davis-Imagn Images

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Broncos Get Final Answer on De’Von Achane Trade Chatter

Originally posted on Denver Broncos on SI
By Chad Jensen | Last updated Apr 16, 2026 2:50 PM ET

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For the past week, the trade speculation surrounding Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl running back De'Von Achane has stoked the curiosity of Denver Broncos fans across social media. Various media platforms have suggested Denver as a landing spot for Achane, if the Dolphins were to trade him.

One of the factors that has intensified the speculation has been Achane's contract status. He's entering the final year of his rookie deal, and he and the Dolphins are reportedly not yet close to an extension.

Frankly, it's been a thin subject to begin with, but this week, Dolphins GM Jon Eric Sullivan officially put the speculation to bed, stating publicly during his pre-draft press conference that Achane is not on the trade block.

"He is not available for trade," Sullivan said of Achane on Wednesday.

Sullivan also iterated that conversations with Achane's camp have progressed in recent days.

"Things are going good. We've had some positive conversations over the last couple of days, trending in the right direction," Sullivan said. "He's obviously very important to what we're doing, and it's all part of it. It's part of professional sports. We'll get where we need to be one way or the other, but yeah, things are trending in the right direction."

GM-Speak or the Truth?

The cynic will respond to Sullivan's remarks with, "What else is he going to say?" And while it's true that in most cases, if a player is available for trade, a general manager will not admit so publicly, but there are plenty of reasons to believe that in Achane's case, it's true.

The Dolphins did hold a fire sale this offseason, releasing many big-name players and trading star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Broncos. Miami has taken on a record amount of dead money on its salary cap, and while that may initially inhibit contract talks with Achane, the Dolphins will eventually get something done because the new coaching regime, led by Jeff Hafley, needs some semblance of a roster core as they rebuild.

Broncos' RB Situation

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

The Broncos are content with their top two running backs on the depth chart, J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey. Dobbins was just re-signed to a two-year deal, and Harvey was a 2025 second-round pick.

Obviously, Dobbins as the No. 1 running back does come with some risk, as he has a long injury history, but the Broncos, for now, are comfortable with Harvey as the fallback option. Harvey is also a key weapon in Sean Payton's offense, especially in the passing game, emerging last season as the elusive "Joker" (a dynamic pass-catching running back).

Dobbins was on pace to obliterate the 1,000-yard rushing mark before he got hurt in Week 10. Harvey, meanwhile, scored 12 touchdowns as a rookie — seven rushing and five receiving.

They make for a fairly dynamic one-two punch because Harvey is also a threat to take it to the house any time he touches the ball, including as a rusher. However, as encouraging as his rookie showing was, the one area he lacked was down-to-down consistency as a rusher after the Dobbins injury when the Broncos leaned on Harvey to be the RB1.

So, the Broncos know they need one more reliable option at running back as an insurance policy for Dobbins, and it will likely come next week in the draft. If Dobbins were to go down, Harvey will always be the next man up to carry the load, but there's no guarantee he'll be any more consistent as a ball-carrier than he was down the stretch last season.

Again, that means Denver needs one more option. Remember, even if Achane was available, it would take a serious offer featuring premium draft capital to pry him off Miami's hands, and even then, the team acquiring him would have to capitulate to his demands for a lucrative extension.

Coming off a prolific 1,300-yard season, Achane will purportedly be seeking a contract that puts him on a similar footing as Kenneth Walker III and Travis Etienne, which would be somewhere between $11-$15 million per year.

No NFL team, including the Broncos, is going to give up premium draft capital for a running back who would be No. 3 on the depth chart, especially knowing that a contract north of $10M/year would shortly have to follow the trade. Achane is a No. 1 running back. The Broncos already have one of those.

The Takeaway

It's time for Broncos Country to take Achane out of the equation. That doesn't mean running back is off the table, though; expect the Broncos to draft one next week with one of their seven selections.

This article first appeared on Denver Broncos on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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