Examining the Chances of Achane Following Waddle Out of Miami

Now that they've traded away wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, the next logical question for the Miami Dolphins is whether they'll do the same with running back De'Von Achane.

As was the case with Waddle, dealt Tuesday to the Denver Broncos in a trade involving a first-round pick and other draft considerations, Achane is a player a lot of teams around the NFL would love having on their roster.

Like, who wouldn't want a dynamic running back who averaged an incredible 7.8 yards per carry as a rookie in 2023 and is fresh off a season where he finished sixth in the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,838.

The Dolphins, who now have traded this offseason safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and Waddle, clearly are thinking beyond the 2026 season and winning games right now and making moves for the long-term benefit of the franchise, which is why they would even entertain the idea of trading Achane.

THE MONEY ISSUE

And the other factor involved with Achane is 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.

Again, the Dolphins aren't looking to get rid of Achane, just like they weren't looking to get rid of Waddle.

But the Dolphins are thinking big picture and maybe that picture looks better with what they can get for Achane rather than keeping him and having to dole out a big running back contract.

POSSIBLE ACHANE SUITORS

As for who might be interested in a trade for Achane, the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks could make some sense after they lost Kenneth Walker in free agency and the AFC champion Jacksonville Jaguars also need a running back after losing Travis Etienne. Maybe the Houston Texans would want to bring him in and pair him up with newcomer David Montgomery like Montgomery was paired up with Jahmyr Gibbs in Detroit.

Maybe the Broncos decide to reunite Achane with Waddle, who knows?

And who knows whether the Dolphins eventually do trade Achane, but GM Jon-Eric Sullivan showed his willingness to trade Waddle after saying last month he was a player who could be a foundational piece.

At the right price, he likely would be willing to move Achane as well.