De’Von Achane was one of the most sought after running backs behind Breece Hall at the trade deadline. Both ended up staying with their respective teams, but after Achane’s monster game against the Buffalo Bills, several teams won’t miss on Achane twice. Achane had 174 rushing yards with two touchdowns. The Dolphins are most likely going to enter the next phase of their rebuild, meaning Achane’s value could go up this offseason.
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Denver Broncos were just two teams interested in making a deal for Achane. I’m sure they’ll be in the mix this offseason to try and land Achane and bolster their respective offenses. They won’t be the only ones, though. Here are all the teams, Steelers and Broncos included, that will be eager to go after Achane.
Chicago Bears
Imagine what Achane would look like in a Ben Johnson offense next season. The Chicago Bears know they need to improve this offense and specifically upgrade the run offense. Achane is a dynamic back that can run the ball really well and also be a threat as a receiver out of the backfield. D’Andre Swift hasn’t been bad, but he’s now Achane. I don’t think the Bears are extremely aggressive in trying to land him, but they should entertain adding a weapon like him this offseason.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers learned the same hard lesson the Dallas Cowboys did last season, in that neglecting the run game will hinder your success. This season, the Steelers have the No. 30 ranked run offense per Pro Football Reference. While they are atop the AFC North, they do have three losses and an inconsistent offense. Adding Achane to the mix doesn’t necessarily solve all of their problems, but it would absolutely help them establish a run game and diversify their offense.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are leaning toward a different approach when it comes to improving their offense. They need receivers more than they need another running back, but you can’t argue that adding a back like Achane that is explosive and can be a good receiver, wouldn’t help Bo Nix. He hasn’t played great this season and maybe a better receiving back would help him more than another perimeter threat.
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs were linked to Breece Hall heavily and if you have to think they also had their eye on Achane. The Chiefs offense has been wildly inconsistent this season and that’s largely due to not having a stable run game. At one point this season, Patrick Mahomes was the team’s leading rusher.
Kareen Hunt and Isiah Pacheco just haven’t carried the weight like they usually do and the Chiefs offensive line essentially forced Mahomes to be more mobile than he usually is. If Kansas City wants to return to the top of the NFL, they have to establish a strong run game, which is why Achane should be on their offseason wish list.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers have their top two running backs on IR and with Najee Harris in the final year of his contract, I don’t think they’ll be inclined to bring him back. Omarion Hampton was supposed to be the new shiny toy after being drafted last April, but he was limited to just five games this year.
Achane gives them a proven back and reliable option that would take some of the pressure off Justin Herbert. He’s appeared in every game since his rookie season and had at least 800 rushing yards each of the last two seasons; last year he had nearly 600 receiving yards. What he brings to Los Angeles is exactly what Jim Harbaugh needs, so Achane should be a top priority.