It’s always a time of celebration when a franchise can lock up a young rising star to a long-term extension. That was certainly the case when the Miami Dolphins recently re-signed De’Von Achane to a lucrative $64 million extension. But a recent comment from Dolphins pass-game coordinator Kevin Patullo unexpectedly cast a cloud of doubt over Achane’s current health status.

“What a dynamic player he is,” Patullo said of De’Von Achane. “When you watch a guy like that get on the field, it’ll really be impressive because there are so many different things he did. He lined up as a receiver, a true running back. He’s so dynamic. So it’s gonna be really exciting to get him out there once he’s healthy and ready to roll,” Patullo said while speaking to a pool of Dolphins reporters during rookie minicamp.

Once he’s healthy?

Up until now, there were no notions of the star RB being injured this offseason. Especially since Achane signed his extension only two days ago. The RB has actually been remarkably healthy throughout his career. Over the last two seasons, he’s appeared in 33 out of a possible 34 games.

There were some troubles last year, but none appeared to develop into any major long-term concern. De’Von Achane injured his calf during training camp, but was able to begin in Week 1. He hurt his ribs in Week 14 while playing the New York Jets, but did not have to miss time afterwards. But the final injury, which came in Week 17, forced him to miss practice, and he sat out the regular season finale.

However, it also seems like Achane seems to have been fortunate that these other injuries were only minor. The last time he missed a significant amount of time was his rookie season in 2023, when he suffered a knee injury. Still, he managed to finish the season with 800 rushing yards on the board.

We won’t know exactly why Achane is not considered healthy until the team throws more light on it. But with Achane being a crucial piece to Miami’s puzzle, fans will hope that this isn’t anything serious.

Whatever this mystery ailment might be, it clearly did not prevent the Dolphins from doling out a lucrative four-year, $64 million contract. The deal ranks third among running backs in average annual salary and second in total guaranteed money. The extension also makes it clear that the organization’s belief in the 24-year-old is firm, despite having played only three full seasons.

Last year, Achane tallied 1,838 all-purpose yards, ranking sixth in the league. He also accounted for 12 total touchdowns. And, he also has a Pro Bowl honor to his name. But a crucial reason why the Dolphins have displayed so much faith in the RB is how he fits within the team’s current offensive scheme.

Why De’Von Achane is important for the Dolphins

In the offseason, the Dolphins completely remade their organization from top to bottom, and have a new offensive coordinator in Bobby Slowik. He comes from the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, having spent six years with him at the San Francisco 49ers.

As a result, Slowik brings with him a very similar run-heavy, play-action-based zone running scheme. In offenses built from the Shanahan tree, the running game is often the primary piece of the puzzle. That means that Achane will be taking on a massive workload and establishing a better presence in the back, like he did last year.

It may still be unrealistic to immediately place Achane in the same category as Christian McCaffrey. But it won’t be a surprise if the Dolphins offense revolves around him, similar to how McCaffrey functions as the offensive lynchpin of the 49ers. That philosophy also lines up with the Dolphins bringing in quarterback Malik Willis. Willis previously operated within a very similar offensive structure under Matt LaFleur in Green Bay.

Before all that happens, though, we will still need to find out the exact ailment that Achane is dealing with. But it’s probably nothing major, as evidenced by the heavy financial commitment that the Dolphins placed on his shoulders.