Let me preface the discussion with the admission that I love to watch De’Von Achane play. He’s the most electric RB we’ve had here in quite some time, probably since Reggie Bush was here about 14 years ago. I swear on the bible that Tua would have had significantly worse stats if RB De’Von Achane was not on this team. How many times did we see Tua throw a screen or a 1 or 2 yard pass for big gains? Last season we didn’t have TE Jonnu Smith who was another playmaker who turned either nothing or a negative into something. I’m not comparing Jonnu Smith to Achane because Achane is so much better and so different. However, they both served a similar purpose while they were here, turn nothing into something. Now Achane is a ballcarrier so he got a lot more touches than Jonnu did, and it seemed almost every time he took a handoff he was 5-6 yards downfield in a flash.
The factors that should determine whether Achane stays or goes is what compensation can we get for him, what salary do he and his agent want, and what type of salary does GM Jon-Eric Sullivan deem appropriate for a 190 pound running back. Let’s be fair about this, try to be realistic about it before you jump out of your chair. Achane is not a grinder, not a back that wears a team down, and to be fair, he’s not a finisher, not a guy that will punish a defense in the 4th quarter when you’re trying to keep the ball away from the other team. If Achane and more likely his agent decide they want either a contract that mirrors Bills RB James Cook contract which is 4 YR/$46M, that’s a tough one. The Bills have Josh Allen, and as long as he’s there, they’re contenders. The Miami Dolphins at present time are rebuilding and we recently have sent more talent away from the team than we’ve brought in.
Think about where this team is right now. Clearly the team is rebuilding and we’ve had quite the exodus of players with expensive contracts. De’Von Achane may be becoming one of those players. I know some of you couldn’t bear to part with Achane, but if we got an early 2nd RD pick and turned that pick into a better than average starting OG or OT or EDGE rusher, that player is more important than a RB, it just is. Especially considering how much difficulty we’ve had filling either of those positions. If you look at the teams that have won the SB the last 10 years, not one of them feature an expensive RB. Seahawks had RB Kenneth Walker who is now on the Chiefs. Eagles had Saquon Barkley who despite big salary numbers overall, was very small and backloaded to the option years where he will never make it to. KC Chiefs had Isiah Pacheco who was on a minimal contract, and also keep in mind that each and every one of those RBs is around 215 lbs or more. Don’t hate, building a team around a 190 pound RB doesn’t win championships.
So what type of compensation do I think would be fair for a RB on his last year of his contract and seeking a big contract nearing $50M? I’d take an early 2nd RD pick and a late RD pick and find me a stud OL/EDGE/CB/LB. Keep in mind we still have Jaylen Wright and Ollie Gordon, and both of those guys are not too far off of what the Green Bay Packers had in Josh Jacobs 5’11 222 and good ole Chris Brooks 6’1 219. Jaylen Wright is 5’10 208 and Ollie Gordon 6’2 225. I’m not saying Jaylen Wright is as good as Josh Jacobs was in his early playing days before the injuries, but Jaylen Wright was never going to get real opportunities here with De’Von Achane on the roster. I understand that RB’s are sometimes undervalued, and some teams have bucked that trend. If you watch the 2026 NFL Draft, Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love is probably going top 5, but to be fair, Love is probably better than Achane is and is also 6′ 212 lbs. He’s built to last, and that’s a theme in general for most of the RB’s I’ve mentioned on the last few SB teams.
I know some of you will say Achane is more than a RB, he’s a WR too. Don’t hate me, but paying Achane after his 1838 total yards season would resemble paying Tua after 2023. Achane is talented, but this was the first season he went over 1500 total yards. I think Bijan Robinson is a very good comparison for Achane, but of course Bijan Robinson 5’11 215. He’s played nearly every game save one since he came into the NFL, and he’s totaled 1463, 1887 and last season 2298 total yards. I know Achane has managed to stay healthy the last 2 seasons, but last season was the only season where he was near top 5 (Achane was #6 last season). Achane was #12 in 2024, and then #58 in 2023. So basically, one very strong season, and one good one, and that’s it. If we’re going to pay him a reasonable salary, I’d say keep him. If we have to pay him more than $11M annually, and we can get an early 2nd RD pick and more in the 2026 draft, or maybe a 2027 1st RD pick, I’d take those picks and never look back.
GO DOLPHINS!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
Jermod McCoy Pro Day
40: 4.38
Vert: 38”
Broad: 10’7”
I didn’t add the emoji, it came with the copy and paste.
More interested in his on field drills. It was said he was ready to play end of last year so I think he is fine.
Reports are saying he looked really good in his workouts.
Fly-by over.
More visits planned:
Beck’s visit will be a local visit and not counted as top 30 along with other Miami players in OT Markel Bell, Edge Bain, Edge Mesidor and CB Keonte Scott.
Players added to the top 30 list:
QB Ty Simpson
Edge Zion Young
RB Kaelon Black, NICE!
RT Travis Burke (He’s a giant)
CB Hezekiah Masses
I don’t think anyone else is new. Already mentioned were WR Jordan Hudson, WR KC Concepcion, WR Makai Lemon, WR Ted Hurst, DT Kayden McDonald, CB Mansoor Delane, Safety A.J. Haulcy all as top 30 visits.
Of all the visits with top 30, pro day, private workouts and combine inteviews, I have not heard of one meeting with a TE.
Dolphins had a zoom meeting with Texas Tech WR Caleb Douglas. He’s a day 3 WR I really like.
I really like McDonald as a sleeper pick. I’m a fan of Delane, Haulcy, Concepcion, Ted Hurst, and Kaelon Black too.
Miami LB Wesley Bissainthe has already met with the Dolphins on a local visit.
I just read that it is being rumored that the Dolphins will play the 49rs in Mexico City this season. Man, if they do, they should DEFINITELY go early if they can. Mexico City is 2000 ft higher than Denver. Folks regularly experience altitude sickness when visiting for a short time.
They should try to go 4 days early if possible.
7,350 ft
I get high altitude flatulence at over 6500′ elevation. It’s really a thing. My most impressive farts have come at over 8000′. lol
BBM would be banned from the stadium. Authentic Mexican food at 7350′. LOL
as somebody who skydives, I can confirm that this is a thing!
Every drop that plane is filling with methane
Dolphins who?
Sonny, we may have a local team in 2027 😜
https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/nfl-expected-vote-jacksonville-jaguars-playing-2027-season-orlando
I thought it was a done deal that they were playing here.
According to next year’s opponents (‘27) the Dolphins are shown as a road game against Jax meaning the Fins will be coming here.
the only problem I see with Willis is his pocket pressence is like Tannehill’s
🤣
maybe a little but Willis is a legit running threat whereas Tannehill was a sack threat.
No doubt Willis has to speed up his processing but he can also buy you more time. The style of offense will rely more on the run game and more under center for play action. There will definitely be specific plays for Willis that will be different than Ewers. I see a lot of ball control type plays with taking a decent amount of vertical shots. How we execute it is the question.
I just hope he runs the offense efficiently and doesn’t turn the ball over. I don’t think anything he does this year will prevent us from drafting a QB next year. I like how Willis plays, but I’m not sure I see an elite….or maybe even starting QB. He’s gotta prove that part with his arm, to me. 155 throws just ain’t enough to know what he is.
Anybody heard anything from coaches about why they are so excited about Willis and Achane being used together? Achane as a RB or WR?
I’ve heard that Willis and Achane — together — create a dynamic that cannot be accounted for. Don’t know if it was Sully or Haf who allegedly stated as much, but that’s what I’ve heard.
I’m sure it was in reference to Achane as a RB… not in a position move to WR.
Willis and Achane can definitely be effective. Who has it? But you can’t do that all day. You have to stretch the field to get that respect.
My latest PFF mock draft. DON’T THINK I’d actually do it, but I think it came out alright…
R1P7: EDGE David Bailey (Trade up, with R1P11, R3P94 and Jordyn Brooks to Washington)
R2P34: OG Emmanuel PREGNON (Trade down from R1P30. For R234, R4104, and R5P143 with Arizona)
R2P43: CB Chris Johnson
R3P75: OG Keylan Rutledge
R3P87: WR Ted Hurst
R3P90: S Genesis Smith
R4P104: WR De’Zhaun Stribbling
R4P130: TE Dallen Bentley
R5P143: EDGE Nadame Tucker
R5P151: CB Hezekiah Masses
smallish trade to get back into the 6th round…
R6P200: S/CB Jadon Canady
R7P227: T/G Keagen Trost
Our O-Line will finally be fixed, our interior D-Line should be really good what with last year’s draft, I got two EDGE-rushers (Bailey is the best in this class), doubled-down on CBs with much upside, doubled-down on WRs with height and speed, landed a decent Safety (perhaps two if Canady becomes an NFL Safety), and a NICE TE in Bentley.
And for losing R3P94 in the trade-up for David Bailey, I got R4P104 in return (just 10 picks later).
Only thing I screwed up on? I didn’t find a replacement for Jordyn Brooks in this scenario. So just plug in your favorite LB prospect at one of the picks above. For example, perhaps we needn’t double-down at OG so early as I did above.
Our current safety room is not good at all. It’s even worse than CB in my opinion. I’m curious to see what Sully drafts first, safety or CB.
For whatever it may be worth, if and when Caleb Downs is available to us @ R1P11 and I take him, the rest of our draft seems to fall apart in terms of cohesion.
Kyle Crabbs spoke of this regarding Matt Miller’s mock draft for us… I get it (not that I needed the Crab Man to tell me this).
I’m not sure taking a Safety @ R1P11 would benefit us for the rest of the draft. Just a thought, and JMO.
Tim,
Of course they can function together. I thought people…and our new coaches…were saying they had something special in mind other than your basic option scenario in that sort of offense.
I mean the basics, not that it’s mundane.