The Minnesota Vikings have always had a desire to be relevant, but it’s hard to believe they wanted to be the talk of the NFL Scouting Combine last week. Minnesota’s quarterback situation dominated most of the speculation, with free agency unofficially opening when the league’s tampering period began on March 9. Still, there’s a slew of other moves they need to make to get back to the playoffs. Trading for De’Von Achane might be one of them.
One of those areas includes the running game. The Vikings made one big move by informing Aaron Jones that he will be released barring a trade before the official start of the league year on March 11. While Jordan Mason remains on the roster, Minnesota is looking for an explosive complement. With a deep free-agent class, the Vikings will have options. But the Wilf family may feel gunshy about throwing money at the problem after watching over $300 million in cash result in a 4-8 record during former general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s spending spree.
If Kenneth Walker III or another top running back isn’t an option, the Vikings may have to look for a trade. And there are few better targets than Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane.
Achane seems to be untouchable at the moment because new head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan are trying to turn the Miami Dolphins into “Green Bay South.” But while NBC Sports’ Matthew Berry heard that the Dolphins would like to build around Achane and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, there are a few reasons he could be open to a trade to Minnesota.
The most obvious one is his performance with the Dolphins. During his four seasons in Miami, Achane ripped off 47 breakaway runs, defined by Pro Football Focus as designed running plays that result in a gain of over 15 yards. In addition, Achane has generated 43.7% of his 3,057 rushing yards on these plays, which makes him a highlight waiting to happen when he gets the ball.
Achane may have had his best season last year. He carried the ball 238 times for 1,350 yards and eight touchdowns. He also led the league with 5.7 yards per carry and 4.11 yards after contact. While his 5’8″, 188 lb. frame doesn’t scream “thumper,” it also shows his speed, escaping potential tacklers before they can get to him.
That element has been missing from the Vikings since they released Dalvin Cook following the 2022 season. Even then, Cook’s game was hit-or-miss, mixing short gains with explosive runs. Achane would be the consistent big-play threat to go perfectly with Mason’s power and would have a familiar face around in new Vikings assistant head coach Frank Smith.
Smith was the No. 1 offensive coordinator in the league, according to the NFL’s player survey and was at the helm as Achane went off for a career year in 2025. While head coach Mike McDaniel called the plays, Smith was credited with the design, helping Miami rank tied for sixth in the NFL with 4.5 yards per carry since his arrival in 2022.
The Vikings could also offer Achane the opportunity to stay long-term. They are $26.8 million over the cap. However, with the pending releases of Jones and Javon Hargrave, there will be other moves to get Minnesota cap-compliant before the start of the league year and to clean up the books for their next general manager.
The Vikings have $59.7 million in projected cap space for 2027. They could use some of that money, and more coming from potential moves in the next week, to offer Achane the $12.3 million market value projection or Spotrac’s three-year, $36.7 million total contract projection.
Of course, Miami will also have money with a $115 million projection according to Over The Cap. That number will jump to $136.6 million if they cut quarterback Tua Tagovailoa as expected. The Dolphins were also the only team to rank higher than the Vikings in the NFLPA report cards that ESPN leaked. However, Miami could be much further away from contending as the team embarks on a full-scale rebuild.
That leaves the cost of the trade as the only hurdle. If Achane declines a contract extension from the Dolphins, the Vikings could swoop in and offer a package of picks. That package may not be as rich as one would assume. The Houston Texans acquired David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in exchange for a 2026 fourth-round pick, a 2027 seventh-round pick, and offensive lineman Juice Scruggs on Monday.
With the Montgomery deal as a baseline, the Vikings could use a plus offer to acquire Achane. A third-round pick and one or two Day 3 picks next year could get the job done, and Minnesota could also throw in an expendable player to move the needle. The Vikings could also dangle Jordan Addison to minimize the draft capital needed in a trade and perhaps earn an extra draft pick as compensation, given the positional value of the deal.
That may be as big a pipe dream as wishing the Vikings trade for Joe Burrow. But it could be a reality if De’Von Achane is fed up with Miami’s latest rebuild. If Minnesota is serious about jump-starting its running game, Achane is a great place to start, and after Monday, they may have the assets to make a trade happen.