As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for Monday’s potentially rainy clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars, a chunk of Chiefs Kingdom is already looking ahead to the Nov. 4 trade deadline. General manager Brett Veach has less than a month to bolster the roster to improve the team’s Super Bowl odds, and one position that Chiefs fans want to see upgraded is the running back room.
The Chiefs’ offense hasn’t operated with much consistency so far, and a lot of those problems stem from the backfield. Veteran running backs Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt haven’t been their usual productive selves, while rookie Brashard Smith still has a lot to prove before he can be given the RB1 title.
The Chiefs’ RB situation has resulted in their being linked to a handful of RBs before the trade deadline, including the Miami Dolphins’ De’Von Achane. Although a potential Achane trade would’ve seemed unlikely at the start of September, a deal seems more likely after the Dolphins’ latest outing.
Chiefs Trading for De’Von Achane Back on the Table After Dolphins Lose in Week 5
Achane’s name could be a popular trade target again after the Dolphins fell 27-24 to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon. Despite leading 17-0 early in the second quarter, which included a 10-yard touchdown from the 23-year-old RB, Miami couldn’t hold on, dropping to an abysmal 1-4 in the process.
With the Dolphins trending in the wrong direction towards the trade deadline, the Chiefs need to be wise and check in on Achane’s availability. Miami appears to be facing a rebuild once the season is over, and Dolphins GM Chris Grier could be open to trading his star runner, whose contract will expire at the end of 2026.
If Achane has his heart set on leaving or the Dolphins are already willing to turn the page, it makes sense for Grier to be open to trade rather than losing the former for nothing when his deal is up.
Dazzling speed and a reliable pass-catching ability have made Achane one of the NFL’s top RBs to watch, as well as someone who could take the Chiefs’ offense to the next level. The former Texas A&M product racked up career highs in scrimmage yards (1,499) and touchdowns (12) last season, and has already picked up from where he left off.
Including Sunday’s loss, Achane is now up to 262 rushing yards and 173 receiving yards, along with four total TDs, in five games this season. He’s on pace for 1,479 yards and 14 TDs on his current trajectory, and it isn’t hard to imagine those projections increasing by joining the Chiefs.
If Kansas City is going to trade for Achane, it must be seen. The interest surrounding him will only increase the closer the trade deadline gets and with every loss the Dolphins pick up, meaning the Chiefs might have to overpay to get a leg up on the competition.
Still, it’ll be a price worth paying if Achane ends up being the deciding factory in a potential fourth Super Bowl win since 2019.