Chris Perkins: Dolphins must be sure De’Von Achane is fully healthy (and avoids hip-drop tackles) upon his return
MIAMI GARDENS — Be patient.
That should be the Miami Dolphins’ guiding thought when it comes to putting rookie running back De’Von Achane back on the field. He practiced Wednesday and seems healthy enough to play against the New York Jets. But there’s something bigger to consider.
Patience has been the Dolphins’ guiding light so far this season when it comes to players returning from injuries, and hopefully that’ll happen again.
After all, it’s been a rough rookie season for Achane, the speedy third-round pick from Texas A&M.
More accurately, it’s been a crazy, injury-shortened rookie season for Achane.
He has a 200-yard rushing game, and two 100-yard rushing games. He also has a one-carry, five-yard game, and a one-carry, one-yard game.
Oh, and there’s also been a shoulder injury and two knee injuries.
Achane doesn’t need more work, he needs rest.
And he needs to find a way to keep defenders from falling on him after a tackle.
That’s what’s sidelined him three times this season.
In fact, you could make the argument Achane was a victim of the infamous hip-drop tackle, which is now being highlighted in the NFL after Baltimore tight end Mark Andrews sustained a season-ending ankle injury as a result of that technique. There’s even talk of outlawing the tackle because the NFL said it increases the injury rate by 25 times the rate of a standard tackle.
A closer look at Logan Wilson’s hip-drop tackle on Mark Andrews
According to John Harbaugh, the tackle will likely end Andrews’ season pic.twitter.com/ADRyaXn7y8
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) November 17, 2023
I asked McDaniel on Wednesday whether Achane was injured against both the Giants and Raiders as a result of the hip-drop tackle. He said he wasn’t certain because he hadn’t viewed the video in that light.
“Now that you say that,” he said, “I can kind of picture the tackles and they probably were something similar.
“But you’re tackling offensive ball carriers in the heat of battle, it’s a hard enough job to bring someone down. I think rules should be based around protecting players as much as we can because the game benefits with all players being available.”
The Achane tackles are potentially a troubling trend.
On Sunday, it was Las Vegas defensive end Tyree Wilson along with cornerback Marcus Peters and safety Tre’Von Moehrig.
Against the New York Giants, it was defensive lineman Leonard Williams landing on top of him after a tackle on Achane’s final carry of the game.
Achane sustained a shoulder injury in August during a preseason game when Houston defensive lineman Khalil Davis tackled him and then fell on top of him. Achane walked off the field but was eventually taken to the locker room on a cart.
This is an issue, these defenders landing on top of Achane (listed as 5 foot 9, 188 pounds) after a tackle. Against the Giants and Raiders it appeared it happened because Achane was making a cut on a sweep and the pursuing defensive lineman caught him from behind when he slowed briefly to make the cut. In other words, they appeared to be hip-drop tackles.
But I digress …
This is about the Dolphins allowing Achane enough time to fully recover, which has been their trend with players this season.
Now that everyone knows what Achane can do, it’s imperative he’s healthy enough to do down the stretch and potentially in the playoffs.
It’s also imperative that Achane is healthy enough to help Miami get a home playoff game, or home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Dolphins (7-3), who are in first place in the AFC East, shouldn’t need Achane for Friday’s game at the Jets (4-6).
The Dolphins shouldn’t need Achane for any of the next four games. After the Jets, the Dolphins are at Washington (4-7), at home against Tennessee (3-7), and at home against the Jets.
That’s four consecutive games against opponents with losing records.
After that, the schedule gets much more difficult.
Miami finishes with three games against quality opponents among Dallas, Baltimore, and Buffalo.
That’s when you need Achane.
If there’s a decision to make, err on the side of caution. Save him for the stretch run.
And find a way to keep defenders from falling on him after a tackle.