There is no question who the Miami Dolphins' best offensive player (and perhaps best player, period) is as of this moment after purging the roster of most of their core players this offseason. Running back De'Von Achane had an electric season for the Dolphins despite a lackluster 7-10 record in 2025, and all evidence suggests that he is one of the players the new regime intends to build around.
New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan all but guaranteed that Achane would remain a Dolphin for the long haul on Monday, going as far as to say that it's among his priorities to get an extension done with his this offseason.
On the surface, it makes total sense for Achane to be the one playmaker from last year's team to stick around under new head coach Jeff Hafley. He is young (24 years old), entertaining to watch play, and has been incredibly productive, averaging nearly 100 scrimmage yards per game so far through three seasons.
Even with all that going for him, however, the Dolphins are taking a significant gamble by investing in Achane due to no fault of his own.
Paying any RB, even as good as De'Von Achane, could be a mistake for the rebuilding Miami Dolphins
No matter how great Achane may be, the position he plays is a big factor in determining his value to the Dolphins' future. Based on the sheer amount of roster turnover, it could be until 2028 or longer before Miami is prepared to make a real effort at competing for a playoff berth in the AFC. By then, Achane will still be relatively young, but he could have upwards of 1,200 career touches.
Most running backs, especially smaller ones like Achane, can start to regress once they start getting closer to the 1,500-1,600 career touch mark. It's a brutal position to play, and unless you are a true unicorn like Derrick Henry, most players don't maintain their level of play over the course of a decade-plus career.
Achane's ability in the receiving game could help make him stay valuable longer than one-dimensional backs, but it's impossible to say just how long he will be worth a big-money extension.
Fans may argue that, even if it's true, you still need to have good players on the roster to at least have some sort of identity offensively. While I agree (especially with the current state of the receiver room), it doesn't change the reality that paying Achane a top-of-the-market extension could age poorly.
I am not truly advocating for Sullivan to add Achane's name to the growing list of former Dolphins, but if the right offer came across his desk, it may be the right move to take the deal. As fun and explosive as Achane can be, racking up numbers for a bad Dolphins team may not be what's best for either side.