PHOENIX — Miami Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan said extending the contract for De’Von Achane is a “priority,” reinforcing his belief in the running back as a foundational player moving forward.
Speaking to local media during the NFL’s annual meeting Monday, Sullivan said he’s not interested in trading the Pro Bowler.
“My job is always to listen,” Sullivan said. “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.”
Achane, a third-round pick by the Dolphins in 2023, rushed for a career-high 1,350 yards and eight touchdowns last season en route to his first Pro Bowl.
He is entering the final year of his rookie contract and told reporters last season that he’d like to sign an extension rather than play his final year without one.
The running back market may reset this offseason with Achane, Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson all eligible for extensions. Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is the highest-paid back in the league at $20.6 million per season. Kenneth Walker III and Travis Etienne Jr. signed deals with the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints worth $14.4 million and $12 million per season, respectively.
Sullivan said there’s always an urgency to finalize a deal with a player before the market changes too drastically, but insisted that all three players’ situations are unique
“I think anytime you’re extending a player, you’d like to get ahead of the market,” he said. “That’s fairly common sense, but Achane is Achane. Those guys are those guys. Every deal’s different. Every player’s different. There are different factors that go into every deal. We’re excited about moving forward with Achane and getting him done and having him be a huge part of what we’re doing.”
Speculation about Achane’s potential availability rose over the past week after the Dolphins traded wide receiver Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos. Miami has actively reshaped its roster this offseason, releasing veterans Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Bradley Chubb and Alec Ingold, while trading Waddle and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Sullivan has often mentioned Achane as a building block when asked about the state of the team, describing him Monday as a “difference maker.”
He also mentioned center Aaron Brewer and linebacker Jordyn Brooks as players the team is looking to build around as Miami reshapes its culture and identity under Sullivan and coach Jeff Hafley.
“Those are going to be the three kind of pillars that we build around. Achane, Brew, Brooks,” he said. “They understand where they are, what we’re trying to get done. There’s an order that we’re going to handle the business in, but they know where they are and how important they are to us.”
