De'Von Achane is the best offensive weapon the Miami Dolphins have, and he knows it. He is leveraging that knowledge for a new contract. Skipping the first voluntary workout under a new head coach isn't smart, but Jon-Eric Sullivan is about to get tested right out of the gate.
Sullivan has repeatedly spent the entire offseason since his arrival talking about the importance of keeping Achane on the roster. Every question regarding the running back has been answered with "He's a priority."
On Tuesday, Achane chose not to attend the voluntary session, and what happens next will set the tone for the entire Dolphins organization.
De'Vone Achane is putting unnecessary pressure on the Miami Dolphins
It doesn't matter how you feel about Achane; the one fact that can't be ignored is that he is under contract. Missing a voluntary workout isn't a crime, but if his reasons are due to the business side of the league, he is getting this all wrong.
Achane needs to set a leadership tone. With a team full of so much youth, others will look at him for guidance. Rest assured, they will be looking at Sullivan now as well. The GM's decision on Achane becomes "Dolphins policy."
If Sullivan hurries and gives Achane a shiny new contract, every player that comes after him will expect the same. Sullivan would make it the team's policy to give new deals when a player pushes the buttons to get one done.
If the GM opts to take a stricter approach and allows Achane to remain off the field, and in turn doesn't head to the negotiation table, he will be making it clear that he will not negotiate a new contract if the player is going to stay away from the facility until he gets what he wants.
These sessions are not practices. They are team meetings. A kind of "get to know each other" practice. There are no reps on the field, no tackling, not even walkthroughs. It's classwork and weight room training.
These two are not at an impasse, which could come later in the offseason if a deal isn't reached. Then, Sullivan and Achane both will be pitted against each other. It's not a great way to start a new era of football, and it certainly isn't the kind of actions you would expect from the one player others are looking up to.
The NFL is a business, and Achane is handling his. The problem, however, is that while he is trying to convey that he wants to be paid his value, he is deliberately setting the tone for every player who comes after him. Sullivan will be doing that as well.
It's one practice, a voluntary one at that, but all eyes will be watching what happens next.