Dolphins RB De’Von Achane ‘Not Available For Trade’

Instead, Miami is working on a long-term extension for Achane, something he expressed interest in before the end of last season. Sullivan said that negotiations thus far have been “positive” and “trending in the right direction.”

The Dolphins have remained steadfast in their position regarding Achane, though there were similar reports about Waddle before he was traded to the Broncos. The 24-year-old running back has emerged as one of the most dynamic offensive weapons in the league with almost 1,500 scrimmage yards in 2024 and more than 1,800 last season. A team bringing in a relatively inexperienced starter in Malik Willis may find even more valuable in an explosive running back who can generate yards on the ground and through the air on both designed touches and checkdowns.

Running back pay has ticked up in the last two years, though only three players – Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey, and Derrick Henry – have deals with a $15MM per year or more. Breece Hall was hit with a $14.29MM franchise tag, and Kenneth Walker‘s multi-year deal with the Chiefs is worth $14.35MM per year. Achane’s age and production give him an argument to join the former group. He has been a semi-regular presence on the Dolphins’ weekly injury reports, but he has played all but one game in the last two years without any sign of an injury affecting his on-field play.

One wrinkle with an Achane extension is the timing. His $2.3MM cap hit will go up due to the signing bonus of a new contract, but the Dolphins only have $1.9MM in cap space at the moment, per OverTheCap. Miami will see more than $20MM in savings once Bradley Chubb‘s release is processed on June 1, most of which will be used to sign their rookie class. But they should also have enough space after the draft to accommodate the increased cap hit resulting from an agreement with Achane.

Sullivan also previously signaled his intent to sign center Aaron Brewer and linebacker Jordyn Brooks to long-term deals as pillars of the team’s current rebuild. The team has engaged both players in contract talks, but no deal is imminent.

“They know how important they are to this team,” Sullivan said (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). “There’s nothing pressing to get something done in the next couple of days.”

Similar to the situation with Achane, Brewer’s cap hit would increase with an extension. Brooks’ could decrease, depending on how Miami structures the deal.