Tag: De’Von Achane

Drew Brees on keeping playmakers like Michael Thomas engaged in games

Drew Brees joined ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown set and shared his experience in engaging hungry playmakers — like Michael Thomas:

Legendary former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees joined ESPN’s pregame set for Monday Night Countdown before kickoff between the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams, and a key point of discussion was the trouble offenses loaded with weapons like Miami experienced in spreading the ball around.

Tyreek Hill. Jaylen Waddle. De’Von Achane. Raheem  Mostert and Jaylen Wright. Those are just some of the playmakers clamoring for touches. And Brees knows a thing or two about keeping his superstars happy. He and Michael Thomas made a lot of history together with the Saints, and he shared some insight into managing that relationship with a player who has drawn so much attention — both from opposing defenses and spectators on social media.

“Look you’re always thinking matchups. And you’re always thinking we’ve got a lot of mouths to feed, how are we going to get all these guys opportunities, especially early in the game,” Brees said on the pregame show. He pointed to how opening scripts would set up the defense to tip their hand  and show who they’re focused on taking away, at which point he and the offense could counter.

It’s just an approach that took a lot of patience. Brees continued: “And a lot of times I’d come to the sideline after Drive 1, Drive 2, and I’d look at Mike Thomas and be like ‘Hey Mike T, stay patient. Alright? They’re going to be doubling you here for a while. Alright? Young bucks, alright, you guys are going to get the ball, you’re going to get the opportunities when we’re start to make them pay here, Mike T you’re going to get your opportunities.'”

Managing that relationship was something Derek Carr struggled with after taking the reins from Brees, which led to a messy divorce between Thomas and the Saints that has repeatedly spilled out onto social media. Thomas has joined dissatisfied fans in calling for Carr’s job, and when one of Brees’ co-hosts brought that up, he gamely laughed it off.

It’s a shame things have taken such a turn for Thomas and the Saints. But if teams like the Dolphins are going to get where Brees and New Orleans have gone (Miami hasn’t won a playoff game since before Brees was drafted by the San Diego Chargers way back in 2001), they’ll need to do more to follow in his footsteps. That’s true for Carr and the modern-day Saints, too.

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Dolphins turning to rookie Malik Washington to handle return duties

With Braxton Berrios done for the year, the Dolphins are turning to Malik Washington to make plays in the return game.

The Miami Dolphins will be without Braxton Berrios for the rest of 2024, but they’re hoping sixth-round rookie Malik Washington can provide a spark in return game instead.

“He did a good job in the preseason, got a good history,” Dolphins special teams coordinator Danny Crossman said of Washington on Thursday.  “Sadly, with Braxton getting injured, we felt really off to a strong year in the return game and decision-making and some of the things that he was able to do. But with Malik and some of the other guys that we’ve talked about over the years, we think we still have some quality players on the roster.”

Washington, 23, returned four kickoffs and 10 punts in preseason, averaging 28.8 yards on kick returns and 8.4 yards on punts. That included a 45-yard kick return and a 28-yard punt return during the Dolphins’ preseason finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

However, that yardage was largely picked up against backup special teamers and Washington muffed the first punt kicked his way in August. It wouldn’t be surprising if there are growing pains for the rookie, who is tasked with replacing a sixth-year veteran who once earned All-Pro honors.

Behind Washington on the depth chart for kick return duties is running back De’Von Achane, who returned one kick for 32 yards in Week 3 against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Dolphins also have Tyreek Hill, who earned All-Pro honors as a rookie for his return skills, but hasn’t returned a kickoff in nearly eight years.

“I’m washed up in that department, bro. For real, I’m done,” Hill said with a laugh. “No, if the team needs me to go back there and return punts, obviously I’ll go back there. In critical situations I’m always trying to get the ball in my hands. I always want to be that playmaker. That’s just my mindset so for the past few weeks I’ve been practicing catching punts anyways, so if my number is called, I’m going to go back there.”

For now, though, it’s Washington who will be tasked with keeping the Dolphins, who rank fourth in average punt return yards and 13th in kick return average, on track.

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De’Von Achane clears concussion protocol, will play vs. Colts

The Dolphins will have their running back trio available Sunday against the Colts.

Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane cleared concussion protocol and will play Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, he told reporters Friday.

Achane, who turned 23 earlier this week, suffered the injury early in the Dolphins’ Week 6 game against the New England Patriots. In his absence, Miami turned to veteran Raheem Mostert and rookie Jaylen Wright who combined for 166 rushing yards in the win.

The Dolphins will have that entire trio available Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts, who allowed the most rushing yards in the NFL through the first six weeks.

Achane was a breakout star as a rookie in 2023 when he averaged an absurd 7.8 yards per carry and scored 11 touchdowns on only 130 touches.

After a relatively strong start to 2024 with 265 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns in the first two games, Achane has struggled to get going in recent weeks. In the Dolphins’ last three games, Achane has recorded only 63 rushing yards on 24 carries and he hasn’t scored a touchdown since Week 2.

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De’Von Achane making progress through concussion protocol

Mike McDaniel said Wednesday that the Dolphins feel good about the progress De’Von Achane has made.

De’Von Achane landed in the NFL’s concussion protocol after a hit to the head early in the Miami Dolphins’ Week 5 win against the New England Patriots, but head coach Mike McDaniel spoke optimistically about the running back getting cleared sooner rather than later.

“The last protocol piece is based upon activity that he should be doing,” McDaniel said Wednesday. “Hopefully he’ll get some clarity on that, but we feel good where he’s at, for sure.”

Players who land in the protocol have to clear a five-step process before they’re able to return to action. As McDaniel said, Achane can’t clear the last portion of the process until he returns to practice and both an independent neurological consultant and the team’s physician agree that the activity caused no adverse affects.

It seems, based on McDaniel’s comments, that Achane is near the end of the protocol process and could be cleared to play in the Dolphins’ Week 7 game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Achane, 23, began the 2024 season with 265 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns through the Dolphins’ first two games. However, he recorded only 104 yards in the next three games and averaged just 2.6 yards per carry.

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Raheem Mostert: Dolphins getting ‘back to basics’ without Tua Tagovailoa

The Dolphins ran the ball 41 times against the Patriots, their most rushing attempts in over a year.

The Miami Dolphins offense finally found some rhythm Sunday, even if the scoreboard didn’t reflect that. In Tyler Huntley’s second start since signing with the Dolphins, the team found a way to pick up 372 yards and a season-high 24 first downs.

The formula for success wasn’t too complicated. Miami ran the ball 41 times against the New England Patriots and connected on shallow and intermediate passes that kept moving the chains.

“We’re just trying to get back to the basics and the understanding of the offense and I think this past game definitely showed that,” Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert said Tuesday. “We threatened them so hard [with the run’ and we got them out of the two-shell and they were single-high. That opened up more of the pass game and the pass windows for the receivers. All of that stuff goes hand-in-hand in this offense.”

The last time the Dolphins ran the ball more than 40 times in a game was their 70-20 destruction of the Denver Broncos in Week 3 of the 2023 season.

While the commitment to the run in that game was due mostly to the lopsided score, Miami managed to stick to the ground game Sunday despite trailing for the majority of the day. It paid dividends late, as the New England defense softened up in the fourth quarter, clearing the way for Mostert and Jaylen Wright to bulldoze down the field on a 15-play, game-winning touchdown drive in the final minutes.

“Being able to utilize the run game the way we did, it’s just going to open up more doors for everything else,” Mostert said. “I feel like once you establish the line of scrimmage everything else will take care of itself and that’s what we have to do.”

It’s a plan for success that could come in handy after the Dolphins’ Week 6 bye too. Miami will face the Indianapolis Colts, who have allowed the second most rushing yards in the NFL, and the Arizona Cardinals, who aren’t far behind with the fifth most. Then it’s a rematch against the Buffalo Bills, who have allowed an NFL-most 5.2 yards per carry.

On Sunday, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said “the running back room was ready to put the team on their back.” That group will probably continue to shoulder the load for a while longer.

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Mike McDaniel: ‘The RB room was ready to put the team on their back’

The Dolphins ground game picked up 193 yards against the Patriots, more than the previous two games combined.

With Tua Tagovailoa sidelined, the logical path to victory for the Miami Dolphins seemed to be the team’s ground game. But in back-to-back losses against the Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans, the Dolphins running backs struggled to find much room.

That changed Sunday in the team’s 15-10 win against the New England Patriots.

Despite losing De’Von Achane to a concussion in the first quarter, the duo of Raheem Mostert, who returned Sunday after missing three games with a chest injury, and fourth-round rookie Jaylen Wright led the way in Miami’s win.

“I think we had been disappointed with what we’ve produced on the ground, just in general” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said after the game. “I think the running back room was ready to put the team on their back, so to speak.”

Mostert finished his return with 19 carries for 80 yards, his highest total since Week 13 of the 2023 season. He was topped by Wright, who managed to pick up 86 yards on only 13 carries even after a 33-yard gain was negated by a penalty.

“Jaylen Wright definitely stepped up big,” Dolphins fullback Alec Ingold, who scored Miami’s only touchdown, said. “Raheem [Mostert] to come back and be able to play physical … to be able to find those creases, I think both of those guys played really hard, really physical. It was really cool to see them flourish in the fourth quarter like that.”

By the end of the game, the Dolphins had 193 rushing yards — more than their last two games combined, and their biggest output on the ground since Week 5 of 2023.

“I just feel like it all came together in the second half,” Wright said. “I felt like we were getting good movement thanks to the offensive line. We were getting good movement you know and getting it up to the second or third level. It opens things up for the run to produce great runs.”

The Dolphins will be without Tagovailoa for at least one more week, as the quarterback is required to miss four games or more before returning from injured reserve. If Miami can continue to find momentum with its ground game, it would go a long way toward keeping the 2024 season afloat until it once again resembles its Week 1 self.

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De’Von Achane ruled out with concussion vs. Patriots in Week 5

De’Von Achane was ruled out Sunday due to a concussion suffered in the first quarter.

Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane suffered a concussion in the team’s Week 5 game against the New England Patriots and was ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Achane, 22, went down after picking up a first down with a 12-yard run late in the first quarter. After staying down on the sideline, Achane was helped to the blue medical tent on the sideline and eventually exited to the locker room.

The Dolphins have relied heavily on Achane early in the year with veteran running back Raheem Mostert sidelined for the last three games due to a chest injury. Mostert made his return to the lineup Sunday and will presumably get the majority of the workload if Achane misses significant time. The Dolphins also have rookie fourth-round pick Jaylen Wright, who had nine carries for 32 yards in Week 4.

Achane was a breakout star as a rookie in 2023 with 800 rushing yards, 197 receiving yards, and 11 total touchdowns. But about a month into his second season, Achane has just 183 yards on 56 carries (3.3 yards per carry).

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Tyreek Hill: ‘Right now De’Von Achane is the spark of the offense’

Tyreek Hill says the Dolphins need to lean on De’Von Achane to get the offense back on track.

In the Miami Dolphins’ 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, De’Von Achane stood out with 96 rushing yards, 69 receiving yards, and the team’s only touchdown. Nobody else in an aqua jersey came close to matching his performance.

With Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve, it’s more important than ever for the team’s numerous offensive playmakers to step up in his absence. And Tyreek Hill is looking to Achane to continue to lead the charge.

“Achane is different,” Hill said Thursday. “I feel like if we continue to kind of lean on him — because right now he is the spark of the offense — and we need that. We need that, like anything that we can get right now. Continue to lean on him and we’ll get though this hole.”

The Dolphins are set to turn to third-year quarterback Skylar Thompson with Tagovailoa out for at least four games.

While Mike McDaniel and Dolphins players have expressed confidence that Thompson will find success in his first starts since his rookie year, a strong running game would be a boon, regardless.

Miami averaged an NFL-best 5.1 yards per carry during the 2023 season, but the team is picking up just 3.7 yards per attempt so far in 2024 — 24th best.

Consistent yardage and success from Achane would go a long way toward getting the Dolphins back on track, and it wouldn’t hurt Hill and Jaylen Waddle’s chances at getting open either.

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Dolphins RB De’Von Achane active, 3 rookies inactive vs. Bills

Dolphins running back De’Von Achane, who was questionable with an ankle injury, is officially in the lineup Thursday.

Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane is officially active and will play Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills.

With the second-year running back in the lineup, there weren’t any surprises in the Dolphins’ list of inactives. The only change from last week is that running back Raheem Mostert is now out with a chest injury and rookie running back Jaylen Wright, who was inactive in Week 1, is set to make his NFL debut.

https://www.twitter.com/MiamiDolphins/status/1834362688207475061/

Rookie wide receiver Malik Washington was ruled out Wednesday as he continues to work his way back from a quad injury that kept him out in Week 1 too.

There’s no surprises on the Bills’ side either, as the team already ruled out defensive back Taron Johnson and pass rusher Dawuane Smooth. Defensive end Javon Solomon, who was listed as doubtful, is also among Buffalo’s inactives.

https://www.twitter.com/BuffaloBills/status/1834362640186916920/

Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET with coverage of the game on Amazon Prime.

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De’Von Achane reportedly trending in right direction to play vs. Bills

De’Von Achane will reportedly workout pregame to see if he’s good to go, but the Dolphins are feeling good about his chances.

Miami Dolphins running back De’Von Achane suffered an ankle sprain in the team’s Week 1 win, but there’s growing “optimism” that he’ll be available Thursday night for an important matchup against the Buffalo Bills, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Rapoport says Achane will “workout pregame tonight to determine his availability,” but said that the team is feeling good about the progress the running back has made.

The Dolphins didn’t practice Monday and only held a walkthrough Tuesday, but the team listed Achane as a non-participant in their estimated injury reports. He returned Wednesday on a limited basis and was ruled questionable for Week 2.

While he didn’t practice in full Wednesday, NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe said Achane looked good in his limited work.

https://www.twitter.com/CameronWolfe/status/1833886825267499135

Keeping Achane in the lineup would be a significant boost for the Dolphins offense, as it will be without running back Raheem Mostert, who suffered a chest injury in Week 1.

In his 2024 debut, Achane managed only 24 rushing yards on 10 attempts, but was the Dolphins’ third leading receiver with seven receptions for 76 yards. He also scored Miami’s first touchdown of the season on a one-yard rush.

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