MIAMI GARDENS — The De'Von Achane contract debate is heating up, and we're here to break it all down. In a lively conversation with Omar Kelly of the Miami Herald and Alain Poupart of MiamiDolphinsonSi.com, I laid out my case: Achane's guaranteed money should fall somewhere between the $30 million James Cook secured from the Bills on his four-year, $48 million deal (signed in August) and the $29 million Breece Hall got from the Jets on his three-year, $45.75 million contract (inked just last Friday).

But Kelly and Poupart see it differently. They believe Achane will push for more from the Dolphins, with the looming extensions of Atlanta's Bijan Robinson and Detroit's Jahmyr Gibbs setting the bar higher. Robinson is expected to command around $40 million guaranteed on a three-year, $60 million deal, and Gibbs is likely in the same neighborhood. Our colleagues argue Achane's contract should mirror those numbers.

Here's where I respectfully disagree. While the "market is what the market is" philosophy has its fans—one of them even invoked it during our chat—that approach led to the ill-fated Tua Tagovailoa extension. I'm sticking with the Cook-Hall range as a fair benchmark for Achane, who has been electric but hasn't yet matched the peak production of Robinson or Gibbs.

Either way, Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan has a tough negotiation ahead. I don't expect things to get ugly, but don't be surprised if the term "hold in" surfaces regarding Achane's training camp participation. Given the contract uncertainty, I'm not counting on him showing up for voluntary OTAs, which started last week and run through May. He'll be required to attend mandatory minicamp in early June, though.

For context, Achane likely can't sign an extension until at least June 2, when the Dolphins free up cap space from releasing edge rusher Bradley Chubb as a designated June 1 cut. That timeline adds another layer of intrigue to an already compelling storyline.

Make no mistake—I'm a huge Achane fan. He's arguably the best player on the team, alongside center Aaron Brewer and linebacker Jordyn Brooks. But when it comes to the contract, the numbers need to reflect both his talent and the market reality. As Sullivan noted in April, the Dolphins are committed to building around their stars, but every deal has to make sense for the roster's future.