Old adages stand the test of time because of a very simple reason — they survive history. Fans frequently clamor for their franchises to lock up their young players early, and for good reason. As it relates to the Miami Dolphins in their current state, there's only one real candidate for a hefty new contract, and that is running back De'Von Achane. At only 24 years old and coming off an electric 1,800+ all-purpose yard season, he's certainly earned it.
In the current NFL, draft picks become eligible to sign contract extensions following their third year in the league. There are a few factors at play when considering signing a player early as opposed to waiting. There are pros and cons to each method, but the Dolphins would be wise to pounce on this accounting trick quickly, rather than letting Achane play out the final year of his rookie contract.
The primary reason for the Dolphins to get a deal done now, as opposed to next season, is nuanced. Take a look at any contract announcement, and you'll often see this word — extension. We usually gloss over it, then we gobble up the touted average annual salary as record-breaking numbers. In reality, that extension word carries huge weight. It implies the player in question still had time left on his deal, and with it comes the loophole that NFL teams love to exploit.
Free agency has helped solidify De'Von Achane's market value for his eventual Miami Dolphins extension
Let's say De'Von Achane and his representation have taken a gander at the top RB salaries on Over The Cap, and they've found their number. If Breece Hall — of the New York Jets, who is only a few months older than Achane — winds up playing on the franchise tag this year, he'll earn $14.293 million. Achane has objectively cleared Hall in every statistical measure, so let's say he wants $14.5 million per year. That would seem fair.
The reason the Dolphins should get the deal done now comes down to the fact that they still have Achane under contract this year at $5.767 million. A four-year extension at $14.5 per year is $58 million, but the part that agents (and in turn, insiders) love to leave out is that the final year of the existing deal didn't disappear. In reality, the deal would be a five-year contract for $63.767 million, or roughly $12.75 million a year. That would be a much more palatable number for the Dolphins at the notoriously tricky-to-value RB position.
It's when teams make players finish their existing deals that they wind up benefiting in the short-term but hurting in the long run. Here are two QB examples to really get the point across: Dak Prescott signed a four-year, $240 million deal in 2025. With no remaining years to tack on, it's a true $60 million a year for the Cowboys.
Trevor Lawrence, on the other hand, signed a five-year $275 million extension when he had two years left on his existing contract for a total of $31.34 million. That means the deal is actually a seven-year, $306.34 million deal, or $43.76 million a year. The risk was certainly there, but the Jaguars are now the beneficiaries of a steal at the position. The league's best teams are quick to lock up their bona fide stars, and now you can easily see why.
While the league year didn't officially begin until Wednesday, March 11, it was Monday, March 9, at 12:00 PM when the floodgates opened for NFL free agency. It's the opening of the "tampering period," where teams can agree in principle to contracts that almost always get executed once the new league year begins.
For the Dolphins, the market has been helpfully narrowed — Kenneth Walker, the Seahawks' Super Bowl LX MVP, signed with the Kansas City Chiefs at $14.35 million per year. If his contract had come in at a much higher average annual value, Achane's price tag would've likely gone up, too.
This makes the solution painfully obvious for the Dolphins. Get the deal done as soon as possible. Don't wait to lock up one of the few franchise cornerstones left in Chris Grier's wake. Pay De'Von Achane.