De'Von Achane is in contract extension negotiations with the Dolphins, with opinions varying on his guaranteed money. Some believe it should be between $29 million and $30 million, while others think he will push for a higher amount influenced by upcoming contracts of other running backs.
Key points
De'Von Achane is negotiating a contract extension with the Dolphins.
Achane's guaranteed money is expected to be between $29 million and $30 million.
Upcoming contracts for Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs may influence Achane's negotiations.
James Cook's contract serves as a benchmark for Achane's expected deal.
Omar Kelly and Alain Poupart have differing views on Achane's contract value.
DolphinsAtlantaDetroit
MIAMI GARDENS ā I had a spirited conversation Tuesday with Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald and Alain Poupart of MiamiDolphinsonSi.com regarding running back DeāVon Achane and his contract extension negotiations with the Dolphins.
I maintain that Achaneās guaranteed money should be somewhere between the $30 million received by Bills running back James Cook on his four-year, $48 million deal signed in August, and the $29 million that Jets running back Breece Hall got on his three-year, $45.75 million deal he signed Friday.
Kelly and Poupart think Achane will push for more from the Dolphins, and that anticipated contract extensions by Atlantaās Bijan Robinson and Detroitās Jahmyr Gibbs will/should impact Achaneās contract extension. They think Achaneās contract should be closer to Robinson and Gibbs.
Robinson is expected to get perhaps $40 million guaranteed on a three-year, $60 million deal and Gibbs is expected to be in that same neighborhood.
Poupart and Kelly are wrong and Iām right (itās cool; weāre friends, and both of them are woefully incorrect on this topic, evidenced by the fact that one of them invoked the phrase, āThe market is what the market is,ā a philosophy that led to the ill-fated Tua Tagovailoa contract extension).
Allow me to add to this: good luck to Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan in contract talks with Achane. I doubt that things get ugly, but I have a feeling the term āhold inā might surface in relation to Achaneās training camp participation.
Q&A
What is De'Von Achane's expected contract extension amount with the Dolphins?
De'Von Achane's guaranteed money is expected to be between $29 million and $30 million.
How do upcoming contracts of Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs affect Achane's negotiations?
Achane's contract negotiations may be influenced by the expected higher guarantees for Robinson and Gibbs, potentially pushing his value closer to $40 million.
What are the details of James Cook's contract that relate to Achane's negotiations?
James Cook signed a four-year deal worth $48 million with $30 million guaranteed, which serves as a benchmark for Achane's expected contract.
Who are the key figures discussing De'Von Achane's contract situation?
The key figures in the discussion include Chris Perkins, Omar Kelly, and Alain Poupart, who have differing opinions on Achane's contract extension.
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Due to Achaneās contract situation, Iām not expecting him to show up with the rest of the veteran players during voluntary OTAs (organized team activities), which started last week and continue through May. Heās required to show up during the mandatory minicamp in early June.
For the record, Achane probably canāt sign a contract extension until June 2, at the earliest, when the Dolphins get money from releasing edge rusher Bradley Chubb, who was designated as a June 1 cut.
OK, letās delve deeper into the Achane debate.
Iām a huge Achane fan. Heās possibly the best player on the team (center Aaron Brewer and linebacker Jordyn Brooks are in that discussion).
Sullivan said in April that Achane āis not available for trade.ā
However, the length and amount of that extension must be within certain boundaries.
Hereās the heart of my argument:
Achane, at 5-foot-9, 191 pounds, averaged 17.9 touches per game from scrimmage (238 carries, 67 receptions) last season.
By comparison, Baltimoreās Derrick Henry, at 6-2, 252 pounds, averaged 18.9 touches per game from scrimmage (307 carries, 15 receptions) from scrimmage last season.
Gibbs, at 5-9, 202 pounds, averaged 18.8 touches from scrimmage per game (243 carries, 77 receptions) last season.
Robinson, at 5-11, 215 pounds, averaged 21.5 touches per game (287 carries, 79 receptions) from scrimmage last season.
Achane, as noted, is a 191-pound running back and the NFL life expectancy of such players isnāt long.
The reality is that Achaneās workload might increase significantly this season, considering offensive standouts such as wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are gone, leaving Achane as the only legitimate scoring threat. Thatās not good for Achaneās longevity.
If Achane, who has been impressively durable, gets a Robinson-size workload over the next two seasons, which is possible/likely, youāve got to think his effectiveness goes downhill proportionally.
If Iām Sullivan, and I know that the cash-strapped Dolphins also need to extend the contracts of Brewer and Brooks this offseason, I would explain to the 24-year-old Achane that the overall plan is to sign him to a three-year extension and lighten his workload by developing fellow running backs Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon II.
When Achaneās three-year extension is scheduled to expire, the Dolphins, ideally, could be positioned to make a run at the AFC Championship or Super Bowl.
Giving Achane Cook/Hall money as opposed to Robinson/Gibbs money allows Miami to add talent to prepare the team for a .500 record in 2027, and an extended playoff run in 2028.
At that time, you decide whether the 27-year-old Achane, who would be a six-year veteran with lots of mileage on his body and, likely, a limited future, deserves another contract extension.
If Achane is part of a running back rotation, I probably give him the extension. If Achane is a featured back with an increased workload, however, I probably allow him to depart in free agency because I know what his future likely holds.
Sullivan must keep the big financial dominoes in mind.
ā Achane, Brewer and Brooks get three-year extensions in 2026;
ā Left tackle Patrick Paul gets an extension in 2027;
ā Quarterback Malik Willis, if he plays well in 2026-27, will ask for a contract extension averaging about $50 million a year in 2028.
I understand that Achane, a team player, doesnāt care about Brooks, Brewer or anyone else getting extensions. He cares about his own contract extension, and rightfully so.
I further understand that Achane isnāt concerned right now about getting a contract extension when heās 27. Heās concerned about this yearās contract situation.
The Achane contract extension situation is interesting, and itās another major test for Sullivan.
If Sullivan can keep Achane around Cook/Hall money, itād be the right thing.
If Sullivan allows Achane to creep into Robinson/Gibbs territory, financially speaking, this could be a Tua situation all over again.
