Jeff Hafley moved quickly to cool off the noise around De'Von Achane’s workload after his own comments last week had Dolphins fans bracing for the worst.
Hafley had stirred things up on The Rich Eisen Show when he said Achane could get as many as 40 touches in a game this year. After Friday night’s loss to the Commanders, with Achane logging seven carries, the Dolphins coach made clear he was joking.
"I hope everyone realizes, and listened to the tone of my voice, when I said Achane was going to get 40 carries a game," Hafley started. " Sometimes I like to joke around a little bit too, and if some people really believe that, they can believe that."
Hafley also said he was "really proud" of how Achane handled those seven runs on Miami’s opening drive. But he didn’t stop with the running back. He credited the offensive line for setting the tone on that sequence as well.
Miami’s starters up front held up well, and when it was time to finish the drive, Bobby Slowik put the runner behind the big left side, where Kadyn Proctor and Patrick Paul helped push the defense into the end zone.
Proctor told reporters after the game that when he looked down the line after the touchdown, nobody was still at the line of scrimmage. Every one of them had moved his man downfield.
That was part of a night that had its issues, especially with depth, but also enough encouraging signs to leave the Dolphins with a decent feeling the next morning. The quarterbacks had time to throw, and the backup running backs did enough to hold up their end.
There’s still plenty to clean up before next week, but the early read is better than the final score might suggest.
As for Achane, Hafley isn’t pretending he doesn’t see the upside. He may not want to hand him 40-plus touches, but if the back keeps producing, that kind of usage might be tough to avoid. Achane has the burst to flip a game in a hurry.
With preseason game one in the books, Hafley said he’ll spend much of Saturday digging into the tape. He also acknowledged that seeing the game from the coaching booth is different from seeing it from field level, and that the film will show just how important Achane really is.
In Other News...
Dolphins Suddenly Have A QB Rumor Fans Cant Ignore
Todd Monkens decision to roll with Deshaun Watson as Clevelands starter for Week 1 immediately clarified one part of the Browns quarterback picture, but it also sharpened the attention on what comes next. With Shedeur Sanders listed behind him, the rookie now sits in a spot where his name is already drawing interest beyond Cleveland, and that kind of movement always gets league circles buzzing fast.
For Miami, the appeal is easy to understand. The Dolphins have been mentioned among the teams that could look into Sanders as a way to strengthen quarterback depth, and that sort of possibility tends to linger when a young passer is sitting behind a veteran. Nothing is settled yet, but if the Browns decide to listen, Miami figures to be one of the clubs keeping close watch on how this situation develops. [Read more 🡒]
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Murray, once a first-round pick of the Chargers, has also spent time with the Titans and Cowboys, which makes him another familiar reclamation project rather than a clean slate. The broader market is part of the story too, since there are other unsigned former first-round free agents under 30 still sitting out there, and Miami may not be done weighing whether a familiar name is the right stopgap for a defense that needs bodies as much as it needs certainty. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Pass Rush Problem Just Got More Urgent
The Dolphins got another look at their roster depth in their second preseason game, and the picture was not especially encouraging behind the starters. The issues showed up in a few places, but the lack of options at edge rusher stood out, especially for a team still sorting through its cornerback depth and leaning on promising rookie receivers to help shape the early part of the season.
Miamis need for another pass rusher only grew more pressing when Derek Barnett chose the Cleveland Browns, leaving the Dolphins with one fewer experienced option to consider. General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has been active in managing the roster, and the next move likely comes through the waiver wire as Miami keeps looking for ways to strengthen a pass-rushing group that suddenly feels thinner than it did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]