The Chicago Bears have been looking to make tweaks to their roster this offseason, but they haven’t made the big move. While Trey Hendrickson and Maxx Crosby were in the dreams of Bears fans back in February, a more realistic blockbuster trade target has been Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane.
With the Dolphins in a full rebuild, Achane has seemingly been the one player Miami hasn’t been willing to trade. But their plans could change in the weeks leading up to the draft after Achane did not report to the first day of voluntary offseason workouts on Tuesday, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team.
While the Dolphins would like to extend Achane, the latest development should have the Bears' attention, as a potential deal that could help them take the next step in 2026.
Bears Should Be Monitoring De’Von Achane’s Contract Situation Closely for Potential Trade
The Bears do not need Achane, but it would certainly be a splashy move.
The 24-year-old has been a big-play machine for the Dolphins, leading the NFL with 5.7 yards per carry last season. Over his first three seasons, he ran for 3,057 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns and just earned his first Pro Bowl nod with 1,350 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, along with 67 catches for 488 receiving yards and four touchdowns last season.
In addition, Achane’s 24 breakaway runs, defined by Pro Football Focus as designed runs over 15 yards, were more than the 20 D’Andre Swift and Kyle Monangai combined for the Bears last season.
That skill set could have Bears head coach Ben Johnson salivating at the idea of adding a weapon like this into his offense. Conversely, it also runs into the wall that the Dolphins don’t want to trade him.
Miami has done its part in recent weeks, putting Achane front and center on a promotional poster for season tickets last month. Joe Schad of the Palm Beach Post also reported that “the Dolphins might want to extend Achane on a three-year deal in the range of $12-to-$13 million per season.” But “it’s possible Achane might want a four-year deal in the range of $13.5-to-$14.5 million per season.”
Schad noted it’s “not a huge gap,” but there also aren't many reasons for Achane to want to stay with the Dolphins for the long haul. New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan began his tenure by sweeping out veterans, including Tyreek Hill, Tua Tagovailoa, and Bradley Chubb via offseason cuts, and continued the purge by trading Jaylen Waddle to the Denver Broncos.
While Miami has 11 draft picks, according to Tankathon, including seven selections in the top 100, those players may not be able to fully contribute for a few years. That could put Achane in his late 20s with a whole lot of losing, and could see playing with a contender like the Bears much more appealing.
Chicago would have some financial aspects to work out with just $243,078 in cap space for the upcoming season, per OverTheCap. But it could also offer up Swift and a package of draft picks to pry Achane out of Miami.
It should be noted that Achane skipped a voluntary workout, and it’s very early in the offseason program. However, if Achane’s holdout gets ugly, the Bears could capitalize and add a dynamic weapon to an offense that could be ready to take off next fall.