Dolphins' ruthless rebuild unwilling to sacrifice at least one star player

The Miami Dolphins' new regime of GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley has gone out of their way to figuratively defecate on their predecessors. Not in words, but in actions. Their opinion of the roster they inherited is self-evident in their brutal dismantling of it.

Maybe it's just the Green Bay roots in Sullivan that compelled him to accrue as much draft capital as humanly possible, even when the cost of going cheap on young talent was prohibitive.

What I mean by that is, the Dolphins have eaten almost $100 million to move off quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in favor of prior Packers backup QB Malik Willis. They've released past stars like Bradley Chubb and Tyreek Hill. They've traded Minkah Fitzpatrick and, most notably, clear WR1 Jaylen Waddle.

But you have to draw the line somewhere. There has to be some foundation upon which to rebuild this Dolphins team. And according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, it at least appears Sullivan and the front office are unwilling to part ways with one incumbent core player.

Miami Dolphins RB De'Vone Achane is reportedly untouchable in prospective trade pursuits

The latest intel from Schefty is accompanied by a retweet/re-X-post (?) from the NFL's preeminent insider. ESPN beat reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques referenced Sullivan's public-facing affinity for De'Von Achane and suggested a contract extension is on the horizon.

Understandably so, speculation swirled that Achane was for sure on the trade block in the wake of Waddle's move to Denver. All bets felt like they were off after that massive move, because let's face it, who the heck is Malik Willis about to throw to in 2026? Greg Dulcich and slip screens to Achane?

You gotta feel for Miami's new QB1. Losing a weapon like Waddle is akin to a slap in the face. Not having an elite rusher like Achane in the backfield would be all the more devastating.

The more logical big-picture move would be to retain Waddle, who plays a so-called "higher-value" position, and trade Achane before he commands a top-market contract as a running back. As explosive and dynamic as Achane is, his more diminutive frame and the more easily replaceable nature of the position he plays would suggest Waddle is the sounder long-term investment.

That's not the way things went, though. Waddle is out of the building. Achane is the only meaningful skill position player left on offense.

Schefter's report, in tandem with what Louis-Jacques' messaging is, suggests Miami will indeed reward Achane with a lucrative second contract. That said, it also strikes me as thinly-veiled, pro-team messaging that the Dolphins are open for business on Achane if a team is willing to sacrifice a premium draft pick or two to acquire him.

I was thinking about all the teams that could use Achane once the Waddle trade broke. My beloved Cincinnati Bengals could put together a compelling Chase Brown-centered package.

Beyond my own personal bias, however, the Chicago Bears, Seattle Seahawks, and Jacksonville Jaguars should all be blowing up Sullivan's phone lines, doing whatever it takes to get Achane on their roster.

Seattle, in particular, is an intriguing landing spot. The reigning Lombardi Trophy bearers lost Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III to Kansas City in free agency. Zach Charbonnet is coming off a torn ACL. The Seahawks haven't really made a move to address that need, and they only have four draft picks to work with next month to fill it.

Why shouldn't Seattle send the 32nd overall pick to Miami in exchange for Achane? Who's a needier team that'll come in with a better bid? Pretty sure that wouldn't jack with any compensatory future picks from this year's free agency.

No need to get too deep on the other two teams, especially if the Dolphins are indeed signaling Achane isn't for sale. But if he can be had for the right price, Achane would have no shortage of suitors lining up with juicy offers.