The Miami Dolphins have blown up their roster this offseason under the new regime of head coach Jeff Hafley and GM Jon-Eric Sullivan. That was to be expected with so many unrestricted free agents, but the Green Bay Southeast collective went out of their way to dunk on Miami's prior era.
As long as Sullivan can nail most of his seven top-94 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Fins should have a strong nucleus of young talent to work with. However, trade speculation will persist around their few remaining star players.
Recent buzz out of Miami suggested Sullivan and the front office aren't close to contract extensions for some of Miami's key veterans. At least in the case of stud running back De'Von Achane, though, Sully has confirmed on the record that it's only a matter of time.
Miami Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan makes a strong commitment to superstar RB De'Von Achane
In his pre-draft press conference, Sullivan was pretty clear that the Dolphins are keen to commit a multi-year contract to Achane as a key cornerstone to their rebuild, via Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald:
"He is not available for trade. [...] We have had some positive conversations and it’s moving in the right direction."
The fact that Achane averages 5.6 yards per carry in his career to date, despite how poor the guard play has been in Miami, is a testament to how special he is as a playmaker. Add a dual-threat quarterback like Malik Willis to the mix, and that pair should feed off each other to rip off all kinds of explosive gains on the ground.
Other than a strong defense, a quarterback's best friend is an excellent running game. Achane is also a weapon to catch the ball out of the backfield, as he has 145 receptions over the last two years.
Miami is expected to nab multiple pass-catchers in this monster rookie class. However, unless Phin Phanatic's No. 1 big board target, Ohio State's Carnell Tate, falls to the 11th pick, it's doubtful Sullivan will pull the trigger on that need with his first Dolphins draft pick.
While Willis breaks in multiple rookie newcomers and bargain bin free agents, Tutu Atwell and Jalen Tolbert, having an asset like Achane on hand will be crucial. Sullivan appears to recognize Achane's value. Extending him would go a long way toward setting up Willis for success in 2026 and beyond.
Spotrac projects Achane's new contract to be a four-year, $59 million deal. Seems more than fair and plenty affordable for the Fins. After all, they're projected to have $148.2 million in cap space next offseason and a comical $283 million in 2028 cap room.
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