The Indianapolis Colts have a massive question to ask themselves about wide receiver Alec Pierce, and that is how much to offer him to return to the team in 2026 free agency. It will need to be a lot because some team is going to offer him a chunk of change to acquire him. He's worth it.
In fact, he has likely been ill-used in Indy. He doesn't get the ball enough. The 6'3" wideout with elite speed finished fourth on the team with 84 targets, but he had nearly 200 more yards than the second-best, Michael Pittman. He also led the league in yards per catch at 21.3. That's the second straight season he has led the league in that category.
In an offense that threw the ball a bit more and targeted Pierce a lot more, he could have a 1,400-yard season. That won't happen with Indianapolis, and Pierce probably knows it. Still, he should expect a new contract worth $20 million a season from the Colts or some other team.
Alec Pierce delivers what he needs to return to the Indianapolis Colts
To be sure, Pierce also doesn't own the Colts enough to re-sign with the team. He plays football to make a lot of money, and he has the right to go somewhere that pays him what he is worth. Indianapolis has $53 million in projected cap room in 2026, but it might need to use a lot of that to bring back quarterback Daniel Jones, and Jones's return might be key to Pierce returning.
That is according to the wide receiver himself. While cleaning out his locker and heading to offseason vacation, Pierce addressed his future in Indianapolis.
Specifically, after being asked about the Colts potentially re-signing Daniel Jones, Pierce said, "Oh, it would be huge. That would definitely be a big thing for getting me back here is having him here."
The question is whether the Indianapolis Colts can afford both. $53 million might seem like a lot, but if a quarterback gets $30-40 million (or maybe more), and a wide receiver wants $20 million a season, that cap space goes quickly. Plus, Jones and Pierce aren't the only two players the team might want to re-sign.
Another option exists for Jones and Pierce, too. The quarterback might not be ready to play in Week 1 of 2026 after tearing his Achilles tendon in Week 14 of this season, but a team is likely to offer him a multi-year deal. If he signs elsewhere, and Pierce likes playing with him enough, maybe the wide receiver follows the quarterback to a new team. Anything is possible in free agency.