The NFL's running back market can be a tough nut to crack. Buffalo Bills running back James Cook found that out the hard way this offseason after angling for a new extension from the team. Cook did get an extension like he was hoping for, landing a four-year, $48 million extension with $30 million ...
De’Von Achane’s future price tag may have just became clearer for the Dolphins thanks to an AFC East rival’s massive new contract originally appeared on A to Z Sports.
The NFL's running back market can be a tough nut to crack. Buffalo Bills running back James Cook found that out the hard way this offseason after angling for a new extension from the team. Cook did get an extension like he was hoping for, landing a four-year, $48 million extension with $30 million in guarantees on Wednesday morning. It's a development that the Miami Dolphins of tomorrow should be paying close attention to.
Miami will soon have their own running back due for a contract extension in De'Von Achane. Achane is set to play his third year of his rookie contract this season and will officially become eligible after the 2025 season. Cook's deal could end up mattering to Achane quite a bit next spring.
De'Von Achane gets another clue to his potential future value thanks to James Cook contract
James Cook is built similarly to Achane — neither are considered to be big running backs and both are known for their home run hitting capability. Cook, like Achane, is not a player well suited to offer his offense value as a pass protector and while Cook has had more rushing production than Achane over the last two years, Achane is a better pass catcher in the receiving game.
The foil between the two paints a picture of very similar strengths and weaknesses, even if they come in their own unique packaging. And that's what makes the Cook contract such a notable one for Achane, to must wait until after the 2025 season before being able to open into talks on a new deal. There's plenty of ways where an extension conversation is a moot point. What happens if Achane endures a season filled with hardship and, potentially, injury? Or what happens if the Dolphins' season goes off the rails and the reset button gets hit? Would a new regime covet a running back with a year left on his rookie contract?
But let's assume the status quo is maintained — that the decision-makers in Miami are the same and that Achane posts similar production to the 1,500 yards from scrimmage he logged in 2024 to go along with another double-digit touchdown season in Miami.
At that point, the James Cook contract can serve as a foundation. It's a hefty contract for a running back, even if it isn't the mega-deal that Cook was reportedly seeking. His new $12 million average ranks tied for 6th among NFL running backs. His $30 million in guarantees ranks third. From an annual average salary as a percentage of cap perspective, Cooks' deal equates to 4.29% of this year's salary cap ($12 million average divided by $279.2 million cap).
An equal figure for next year's salary cap projections, which currently sit around $295 million, would equal a $12.7 million average on an equal contract commitment next offseason. Make no mistake about it, Cook took concessions on his asking price for the annual average of this contract to get a deal done but Buffalo raised the floor on his guarantees to help make that happen. Achane, in a world in which he posts a similarly healthy and productive season in 2025, should expect these dollar figures to be the floor of what his future negotiations with the Dolphins starts with.
And if he sees more passes thrown his way amid the departure of Jonnu Smith as a target sponge from 2024, the floor could creep even higher. For now, it's something to file away in the back of your mind. But another strong Achane season in 2025 would affirm his status as a central figure of this offense and put getting a proactive extension figured out an important piece of the puzzle for a team that too often has waited to lock in new deals. And with names like Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson also looming as extension eligible in 2026, Miami should be rooting for everything to go well and prioritize getting a deal with Achane done early before those two blow the roof off the top of the NFL's running back market all together.
This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Aug 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Football
