As a new day has dawned for the Miami Dolphins franchise, the new regime has made it clear De'Von Achane is one of the building blocks.
Achane and the Dolphins have reached an agreement on a four-year, $64 million contract extension that includes $32 million guaranteed, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday. Rapoport added that the deal can end up being worth up to $68 million in incentives.
Achane's new $16 million-per-year price tag places him third among running backs in average annual salary, below Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey and above Derrick Henry.
Working out an extension with Achane became a priority for new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan after the speedy back pushed the issue to the forefront when he didn鈥檛 report for the start of the Fins鈥� voluntary offseason program on April 7. Sullivan has been adamant that the team wasn鈥檛 looking to trade Achane -- as it had with the likes of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.
While so much of the Dolphins' offseason has centered around reconstructing the roster while taking a massive dead money hit on the chin after releasing Tua Tagovailoa, Sullivan has made good on that statement, locking up one of the most talented young rushers in the NFL landscape. Furthermore, it's a move that could and perhaps should be viewed by the fanbase that the new regime isn't looking for a drawn-out rebuild, but has identified a nucleus to build around.
Achane, 24, is coming off his first Pro Bowl campaign, which was also his first season eclipsing 1,000 rushing yards. However, Achane's been stellar since he started his career.
Over his first three years, Achane is averaging 1,019 rushing yards and 7.3 rushing scores per season. He's also a bona fide weapon out of the backfield, evidenced by his average of 55.6 receptions and 4.3 TD catches.
In 2025, as the Dolphins struggled, Achane was often the lone highlight, recording 1,350 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, while adding 67 catches for 488 yards with four more receiving TDs.
Achane has only played under Mike McDaniel so far in his pro career. McDaniel's been succeeded by Jeff Hafley, but offensive coordinator Frank Smith remains and so too does the Dolphins' belief in Achane that he'll be a focal point in a hopefully fruitful future for the squad.
