The Miami Dolphins have been facing backlash over their handling of running back De'Von Achane.
The Miami Dolphins have gone through a lot during the 2026 NFL offseason.
Obviously, the changes started with the Dolphins deciding to move on from head coach Mike McDaniel. They were able to replace him with former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who was a hot candidate this coaching cycle.
Another big decision came at the quarterback position. Miami decided to part ways with Tua Tagovailoa. The front office replaced him with former Packers backup Malik Willis.
Following those two moves, the Dolphins opted to pull off a blockbuster trade that sent star wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos.
Needless to say, the team is going to look a lot different in 2026.
ESPN's Bill Barnwell took a look at the best and worst offseason moves for every team in the NFL. When it came to Miami, he thought that the team not being more open to trading running back De'Von Achane was a mistake.
"The Dolphins aren't likely to field much of a passing attack anytime soon, and Willis probably will shoulder some of the rushing workload, which will combine to limit Achane's ability to impact games," Barnwell wrote.
"He's a very good running back, and it's reasonable for Sullivan to see Achane as a core component for the Dolphins moving forward, but I don't know if these Dolphins will be able to get the most out of him."
Not only did the Dolphins not trade Achane, they also gave him a lucrative contract extension. Back on May 13, Miami agreed to a four-year, $64 million contract extension with Achane.
Achane is coming off of a 2025 NFL season where he played in 16 out of 17 regular season games. He carried the football 238 times for 1,350 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Achane also caught 67 passes for 488 yards and four touchdowns.
At this point in his young career, the 24-year-old running back has become one of the best dual-threat backs in the NFL. His production backs up that statement.
While the Dolphins could have traded Achane for a big return, keeping him around to be a long-term part of their offense could pay off big as well.
