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Jeff Hafley gave his thoughts on De’Von Achane
have The Miami Dolphins are undergoing a rebuild that will prioritize youth as the team seeks long-term success. That has resulted in Miami cutting ties with All-Pro receiver Tyreek Hill and Pro Bowl pass rusher Bradley Chubb. Additionally, Miami’s general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan stated that they were likely not re-signing tight end Darren Waller.
Despite what seems to be a roster that lacks talent, the Miami Dolphins do have some high-end players. Miami’s best players include All-Pro talent like Jordyn Brooks, Aaron Brewer or Pro Bowl running back De’Von Achane. However, all three of these players have only one year remaining in their contracts, which has led to speculation that the Dolphins might trade them in order to gain draft compensation.
Dolphins Head Coach Shares Thoughts on De’Von Achane
While making the media rounds at the NFL Combine, head coach Jeff Hafley spoke with Rich Eisen. He spoke about how his offensive philosophy began by running the ball effectively, to which Eisen stated that he had a good running back in Achane. Regarding Achane, Hafley said, “He’s really fast, but he can accelerate so quickly, he’s got such good vision, he can make people miss and then he just gets vertical and gets the extra yards. He is just a dynamic football player.”
Despite the previously mentioned trade speculation, it seems Achane will be a part of the Dolphins going forward. ESPN Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques reported that the Dolphins view Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane as important parts of the franchise. General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan stated that the plan was for the pair to remain with the Dolphins in 2026.
Achane had a breakout season in 2025 as he was selected to his first career Pro Bowl. With 1,350 rushing yards, he had the third-best rushing season in franchise history, behind only two seasons by Ricky Williams. Achane also led the league with 5.7 yards per carry.
De’Von Achane’s Projected Contract
Jon-Eric Sullivan was asked about Achane and said, “He’s a marvelous player. We want him to be part of this thing moving forward. We are kinda focused on what’s at hand, which is free agency and the draft. We’ll have those [contract] conversations with him and some other guys down the road, but that’s going to be later in the summer.”
As mentioned previously, Achane has only one year remaining on his rookie contract, and will likely seek an extension following his Pro Bowl season. During the 2025 season, Sports Illustrated writer Dante Collineli predicted that he might command a four-year contract worth somewhere between $48.8 and $50.8 million. He wrote, “At most positions, a young, productive player like Achane would come close to resetting the market. However, running back is a whole different beast. Teams don’t like to pay running backs, as there’s only one — Barkley — making at least $20 million average annual value.”
The Dolphins could also opt to place the franchise tag on Achane following the 2025 season, which is currently valued at around $14 million.
Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JEsquer8, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer
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