On Wednesday, May 13, the Miami Dolphins finally did the right thing and re-signed De’Von Achane to a long-term deal. The 2025 Pro Bowl running back has been at the center of trade rumors during the early stages of this offseason as contract talks between him and the team stalled. Fortunately, General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and the rest of the Miami Dolphins staff put a squash on those rumors and have finally locked him up long-term. So, how will this extension affect the Miami Dolphins in the short and long term?
De’Von Achane Contract Details
The details of the deal see the now 24-year-old star back getting a nice payday from the teal and orange. Achane and the Dolphins agreed to a 4-year, $64 million deal, with $32 million guaranteed and an extra $4 million in contract extensions. This contract more accurately represents his production as a top-end back in the NFL. Including incentives, Achane’s $17 million AAV is third among running backs behind the Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley and the San Francisco 49ers’ Christian McCaffrey. It’s expensive, but the Dolphins are gaining massive amounts of cap space back after this season, and for a team bereft of proven talent, it’s worth keeping their best offensive skill piece.
Gordon and Wright
The Achane extension means that 3rd-year running back Jaylen Wright and 2nd-year back Ollie Gordon will remain rotational running backs within the Dolphins’ system. This is certainly not the worst outcome in the world, as both runners were quite adept in different situations in this rotational role.
However, with Miami making a concerted effort to keep Achane in South Florida, it will be interesting to see if the trade rumors surrounding Wright earlier in the offseason flare up once more as this season progresses towards his contract-deciding fourth season in 2027. I won’t be surprised to see Jaylen Wright wearing a different jersey come this time next year, and if that doesn’t happen, I still wouldn’t expect him to re-sign. Gordon projects a little better as a long-term fixture in the backfield as a designated power back for the Fins.
Next Season
Given the current Dolphins roster and their 2nd highest strength of schedule, most analysts predict that Miami will finish at the bottom of the standings this season. Achane will, at the very least, provide a bright spot to a team still figuring out its identity.
This is a blessing and a curse, as Achane playing at a high level will most likely propel the Dolphins to wins they wouldn’t get without him. This could end up with the Dolphins getting a lower 2027 draft selection, wherein they miss out on some of the most generational prospects. Still, next year’s class is overall really talented outside of the top couple players, so I doubt a couple extra wins this season, thanks to Achane, will take the Dolphins out of the top of the 2027 NFL draft.
Long-Term Effects for the Miami Dolphins
In the long term, the Miami Dolphins just locked up a young top running back for the remainder of his 20s. De’von Achane should be a building block that the Dolphins utilize to build their team up. This is overall a huge slam dunk for the new Dolphins organization, as Achane would have probably been a player shipped off this offseason in a trade if former general manager Chris Grier were still at the helm. Still, most, if not all, of this contract will see Achane playing on a rebuilding Dolphins squad, but the interesting aspect of the Dolphins, for better or worse, is how unknown some of their players will be.
This will be Malik Willis’s first time in his career as the projected starting quarterback, and his pass catchers will be a mix of journeymen receivers and rookies still trying to figure it out at the pro level. The offensive line is beginning to build up, but a lot of that success hinges on Kadyn Proctorand Jonah Savaiinaea developing well, along with hoping that Aaron Brewer and Patrick Paul continue to succeed. Having a proven commodity in Achane should stabilize this rebuild as the Miami Dolphins begin to find their footing in a post-Chris Grier era.