MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Dolphins running back De'Von Achane is only entering his fourth season in the NFL, but he's already one of the veteran leaders in Miami.
Nearly every other Dolphins contributor from previous years is gone.
But new coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan made it clear they want to build, in part, around Achane, who recently signed a four-year contract extension
worth $64 million.“It feels good man,” Achane said
of his new deal, which will keep him in Miami through the 2030 season. “Now I know I’m going to be here a couple more years, so it feels great.”
Achane also knows that as one of the highest-paid players on a mostly young team, expectations will be much higher for him in this upcoming season.
He has already accepted the responsibility.
“It comes with the territory,” Achane said. “I think I’m ready for the job. I'm going to be here if my team needs me in any way. I knew once the contract got done that I was going to have to take on a bigger role.”
Achane spoke Wednesday as the Dolphins continued their second week of organized team practices. He hasn't been a full participant in Miami's offseason program as he rehabs a shoulder injury suffered toward the end of last season.
He said his shoulder feels stronger and he hopes to be back in full action by training camp.
Achane has been one of the centerpieces of the Dolphins' offense since being drafted in 2023 and is coming off a career year.
He rushed for a career-high 1,350 yards on 238 carries in 2025 and led the NFL with 5.7 yards per carry, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. He also had eight rushing touchdowns and four receiving scores and ranked fourth among running backs with 488 yards receiving.
His 3,057 career rushing yards are the most by a Dolphins player in his first three NFL seasons, and his 1,277 career receiving yards rank second among Miami running backs in their first three seasons since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
Hafley, who was hired in January shortly after coach Mike McDaniel was fired, has praised Achane's playmaking. In one of their first conversations, Hafley emphasized to Achane the importance of him growing into one of the leaders of the team.
“I think everybody leads different, and we need our best players to lead in whatever way that they can,” Hafley said Wednesday, "whether it's how he practices, whether it's how he grabs a guy one on one, whether he is loud out on the field. We need our best players to lead, and I’m excited for him to do that."
Many have spoken of the upcoming season as a rebuilding year for the Dolphins after they gutted much of their roster.
Franchise quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was released in March, along with other stars including Tyreek Hill and Bradley Chubb. Others were traded, including standout receiver Jaylen Waddle and All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick.
Achane said he feels the Dolphins, who signed Malik Willis to lead the offense, still have enough talent to win. And he cautioned against settling into a losing mindset.
“As a football player, as a competitor, the ‘rebuild’ phrase for me is like, ‘OK, they’re basically saying we’re going out here to lose every game,’” Achane said. “I just can’t have that mindset ... That’s just not me."
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