Why De’Von Achane became Miami’s untradeable asset and what it means for the Dolphins

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Miami spent the offseason ripping up its old blueprint, but the Dolphins just made one part of the new one unmistakable.

On May 13th, they gave De’Von Achane a four-year, $64 million extension with $32 million guaranteed. A front office willing to move on from bigger names decided the 24-year-old running back was the player it could not treat like another movable asset.

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith recently spoke highly of Achane during an episode of First Take, suggesting he might already be one of the league’s best running backs.

Achane’s deal includes incentives that could push it to $68 million, and his $16 million annual salary signals a real shift in how Miami is approaching this roster.

This spring, the Dolphins have made some bold moves, including releasing Tua Tagovailoa despite the massive dead cap hit. Even with so many changes happening around him, Achane always seemed like a player they wanted to build around. They made that clear even before they’d finished putting everything else in place.

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Miami’s priorities are already clear

NFL.com reported that getting a deal done became a top priority for new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan after Achane missed the start of voluntary offseason activities on 7th April. That same report noted that Sullivan was clear about not wanting to move Achane, even as other familiar faces were let go.

That is an important detail. It’s rare for teams in transition to make this kind of commitment so early unless there is already a clear vision in place. For Miami, it seems they’ve made up their minds.