De’Von Achane Trade Theories Surface for Vikings
The Miami Dolphins just won’t stop offloading roster talent, evidenced on Tuesday by trading wide receiver Jayden Waddle to the Denver Broncos in a deal centered around a 1st-Round pick. And because Miami’s roster dump is so fierce, some social media users have decided that the Minnesota Vikings could target Dolphins tailback De’Von Achane.
The fit is easy to see, even if the price would sting.
Normally, trading a player who just tabulated over 1,800 yards from scrimmage would be off-limits, but never say never with Miami’s current philosophy.
Dolphins’ Roster Reset Fuels Theoretical Vikings Trade Scenarios
The Vikings could cook with Achane, and don’t you forget it.
Waddle to DEN via Trade
Waddle to Sean Payton’s team is happening. For an impressive haul, the Broncos got their man.
ESPN’s Jeff Legwold and Marcel Louis-Jacques wrote Tuesday, “The Denver Broncos finally looked outside their own locker room to help their offense with a trade Tuesday to acquire wide receiver Jaylen Waddle from the Miami Dolphins, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The source told Schefter the Broncos will receive Waddle as well as the Dolphins’ fourth-round pick (111th overall) while the Broncos will send their first-round pick (30th overall) as well as third- and fourth-round picks (94th and 130th overall) to Miami.”
“The Broncos had been the only team in the league that had not signed a free agent from another team since the market formally opened last week. Instead, they had re-signed 17 of their 21 unrestricted, restricted and exclusive rights free agents.”
And there’s just no reason to believe Achane’s job security is safe in Miami when the franchise has already cut ties with Waddle, Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Bradley Chubb, among others, this offseason.
The Vikings’ Need for a Young RB
Minnesota has these three running backs under contract in 2026:
- Jordan Mason
- Aaron Jones
- Zavier Scott
Mason will turn 27 in May, Jones will be 32 in the middle of the regular season, and Scott turns 27 this summer. There is no youth; none whatsoever.
Achane, on the other hand, was a young rookie in 2023 and will turn 25 this fall. He still has about 3-4 seasons of prime juice left, which would align perfectly with the Vikings’ current setup and subsequent contract extension demands from Achane next offseason.
It’s worth mentioning that if Minnesota cannot get Achane via trade, because he’s not available or it just doesn’t want him, the club should probably draft a tailback in April. It’s time. The Vikings have not drafted impactful running backs since Dalvin Cook in 2017 and Alexander Mattison in 2019.
The Frank Smith Connection
Following the Dolphins’ recent roster moves, including parting ways with the aforementioned Chubb, Hill, Waddle, and others, speculation has arisen about which other valuable players might be on the trading block. Achane’s name is frequently mentioned, not because Miami is actively shopping him, but because his talent will undoubtedly attract interest from other teams. It’s why Achane’s name is circulating in trade discussions.
The connection between Achane and new Vikings’ assistant head coach, Frank Smith, further strengthens this possibility. Smith spent four seasons in Miami under Mike McDaniel and played a direct role in Achane’s development. This familiarity and trust in Achane’s fit within an offense make him an appealing target.
If Achane becomes available, Minnesota should pounce. His projected trajectory alone warrants consideration:
- 2023: 997 scrimmage yards | 11 TDs
- 2024: 1,499 scrimmage yards | 12 TDs
- 2025: 1,838 scrimmage yards | 12 TDs
Achane’s profile is equally impressive. At 5’9″ and 190 pounds, with a 4.32 forty-yard dash and only 24 years old, he possesses the explosiveness to become a game-changing centerpiece.
Think of it this way: if Achane is gettable in a trade, his former offensive coordinator, the only man who’s coached him in the pros, should be a top of the list for theoretical destinations.
The Trade Price?
How much would Achane cost? NFL trades are never an exact science, and Waddle just fetched a 1st-Rounder in the Miami-Denver trade. But wide receiver is a premium position leaguewide, and fair or not, running back isn’t quite like that.
Achane can probably be pried away from Miami for a 2nd-Round pick. For the first time since 2022, the Vikings have one of those. They usually trade it by now, but they have not as of March 17th.
And if a 2nd-Rounder won’t get it done, perhaps Vikings interim general manager Rob Brzezinski could add a 5th-Round-or-later pick and call it good.
Achane ranks seventh in the NFL in touchdowns and seventh in yards from scrimmage since the start of 2023.
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