Breaking Down the Report Suggesting Achane Is Not For Sale

So Miami Dolphins GM Jon-Eric Sullivan apparently is telling teams that he's not going to be trading running back De'Von Achane, rebuilding project or not.

This come from a report by ESPN insider Adam Schefter stating, through sources, that Achane is off limits.

Sources: Teams that have called the Miami Dolphins to inquire about trading for Pro-Bowl RB De’Von Achane have been told that he is not available. pic.twitter.com/pP77NaG6a3
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 18, 2026

There would be nothing wrong with that idea because Achane is the reigning team MVP and now established as one of the top running backs in the NFL, but let's just say that it's not like reports like this haven't surfaced previously right before a trade involving the player mentioned is consummated.

Really, it's not like Sullivan signed a contract prohibiting him from making a trade and is going to continue to do with he feels his best for the organization, for the short and long term.

And if the report is totally accurate, it would be an interesting shift from the comment Sullivan made during his scouting combine press conference just a few weeks ago.

"There are players that we see as building blocks as we move down the road," Sullivan said. "My job as the general manager is if the phone rings, I have to listen. Any player is tradeable at a certain price, but there are certain guys that we definitely want to be part of the long-term future that are on this roster currently that we think are the right kind of guys. They're wired the right way, they infuse the locker room with the right kind of grit, toughness, leadership that you're looking for, and they're good players on the field.”

Achane most definitely would fit the criteria and the Dolphins absolutely should want him on their roster.

But Sullivan already has shown the willingness to make moves that will produce an immediate step backward with the idea they'll generate step forwards in the future.

And that hasn't changed.

The price tag for Achane should be steep, without question, but maye some team will decide to make Sullivan an offer he can't refuse.

Just go back to 2019 and the story former GM Chris Grier told after he traded tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Houston Texans in that mega trade about how he kept telling them he wasn't interested in trading Tunsil but they kept increasing the offer until a point arrived where he simply couldn't say no.

Let's also just say that Sullivan wouldn't be the first GM to let something out like this with the idea of driving up the price tag in a trade.

The reality is that Achane still is more likely than not to be on the Dolphins roster in 2026, but we wouldn't go as far as suggesting it's a slam dunk.

THE MONEY ISSUE

One key factor involved with Achane is that he's now eligible for his second contract after finishing his third NFL season and, well, let's just say it's a pretty safe assumption that he and his agent want a new contract.

Achane is scheduled to earn $5.8 million in 2026 in the last year of his rookie contract, and that ranks 20th among NFL running backs at this time.

And it's not just Dolphins fans who could tell you that there aren't 19 better running backs in the NFL than Achane.

So the question is how much Achane will want for his new contract and which team would be willing to give it to him.

If the Dolphins are willing to meet Achane's asking price with the idea he'll still be effective when they're ready to contend — and there's no reason to think he won't be — then keeping him would seem like the logical option here.

But ...

What if another team overwhelms the Dolphins with the kind of offer than made them go ahead and make the move with Waddle?

This isn't to suggest the moving point would be the same.

On one hand, because of the nature of the position, wide receivers tend to produce a bigger return for the trading team; on the other, Achane is a better running back than Waddle is a wide receiver.

Logically, any team trading for Achane would want to have his contract situation sorted out before giving up assets to get him on their roster, so maybe the Dolphins could end up giving Achane's agent permission to work out an extension with a new team before a trade is consummated.

If a trade is to be consummated.