De'Von Achane Skips Start of Dolphins' Offseason Program amid Contract Rumors

Pro Bowl running back De'Von Achane did not attend the first day of the Miami Dolphins' offseason program on Tuesday.

According to ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques, new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley said Achane's absence was "all part of the business," and he is confident the two sides will work things out.

Achane is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2026, and ESPN's Dan Graziano reported in February that he got the sense the Dolphins were "far more likely" to sign Achane to a contract extension than they were to trade him.

When asked last week about the possibility of trading Achane, new Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan told reporters, "My job is always to listen. Achane is a very, very, very important piece of what we're going to do moving forward. He's a building block for us. It is a priority for us to get a deal done with him in the coming weeks, months. Nobody's untouchable in this business. I don't believe in that because you never know who's on the other side of the phone and what they're going to offer. But, there is zero effort on my end to move Achane."

Miami has had a transformative offseason on offense thus far, releasing wide receiver Tyreek Hill and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and trading wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos.

The Dolphins also brought in a new starting quarterback, signing former Green Bay Packers and Tennessee Titans signal-caller Malik Willis in free agency.

Achane is essentially the only big-time contributor at a skill position from last year's team that is still with the Dolphins.

While trading Achane and continuing to add draft capital for a rebuild is undoubtedly an option, making a long-term commitment to the 24-year-old may be more appealing to the Dolphins right now given their lack of talent elsewhere on offense.

Achane was named a Pro Bowler last season for the first time, as he rushed for a career-high 1,350 yards and eight touchdowns, while leading the NFL with 5.7 yards per carry.

De'Von Achane's 59-Yard TD 🐬

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He was also a significant part of the passing game, catching 67 passes for 488 yards and four scores.

Achane is one of the speediest and most explosive running backs in the game, and even if the Dolphins add some much-needed help at wide receiver and tight end early in the 2026 NFL draft, all signs point toward Achane being the clear and obvious engine of the offense next season.

If the Dolphins are going to have any chance of being competitive, they will have to consistently feed Achane the ball.

Miami is expected to be a cellar-dwelling team in the AFC regardless, but if the Dolphins are going to return to playoff contention at any point in the near future, Achane could be one of the biggest keys to reaching that point.