One number regarding De’Von Achane’s contract extension with the Miami Dolphins says it all
There are no shortage of ways to break down a contract extension. The quality of the Miami Dolphins’ new deal with De’Von Achane can be boiled down to one number.
The Miami Dolphins and running back De’Von Achane are getting hitched. Long-term commitments aren’t really the Dolphins’ thing these days, which makes a four-year contract extension worth up to a maximum of $68 million that much more significant.
How this contract is measured will require additional context. But one thing that I can tell you is this — the Dolphins should be happy about this outcome. And not just because they keep a talented player on the roster. One of the most contextual looks at NFL contracts paints quite the picture on this one.
One number about De’Von Achane’s contract extension with the Miami Dolphins says it all
The stat to know is this: annual average salary as a percentage of the salary cap (AAV% of Cap). What is AAV% of cap? It serves as the inflation-adjusted measurement of the commitment a team makes to a player. For example, signing a player to a $10 million per season contract when the salary cap is $301.2 million (as it is in 2026) is a lot different than signing a player to a $10 million per season contract when the salary cap is $200 million.
And the salary cap has been BOOMING in recent years. It was $279.2 million in 2025. $255.4 million in 2024. Just $224.8 million in 2023. And $208.2 million in 2022. It’s up nearly 50% in the last five years.
So taking the annual average of a contract and presenting it as a percentage of the salary cap from the year it was signed serves as your inflation-proof measurement of a contract’s size. So where does De’Von Achane’s deal with the Dolphins check in?
The De’Von Achane extension’s AAV% of Cap ranks top-5…for now
The base value of Achane’s new extension with the Dolphins is $64 million — equal to an average of $16 million per season. That $16 million annual average as a percentage of this year’s $301.2 million salary cap is equal to 5.31%. Among active running back contracts, that mark ranks fifth:
- Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers – 7.44% of cap (2024)
- Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles – 7.38% of cap (2025)
- Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts – 6.23% of cap (2023)
- Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens – 5.37% of cap (2025)
- De’Von Achane, Miami Dolphins – 5.31% of cap (2026)
It’s a strong contract. But here’s where you need to remember the rest of the market. Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs are both almost sure to surpass Achane’s marks in compensation when new deals are landed. If they both get done this offseason, they’ll push Achane down to 7th among active running backs among AAV% of Cap. If I told you Achane’s contract extension would get done and that it would rank outside the top-6 among active running backs in a major contract measure, would you have taken it? Of course you would’ve. I, for one, am taking notes as we tally up the start of the Jon-Eric Sullivan era.
Miami Dolphins News