The Indianapolis Colts have a right to be very nervous after the Chicago Bears traded DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, and the reason has everything to do with Alec Pierce. After all, the NFL isn't a scene, it's an arms race, and Indy might be about to be left out.
The Bills are a very good team and want to compete for the AFC East title, of course. After a few years of being kings of the division, the New England Patriots took the crown this past season. Both teams should be good in 2026 and beyond, and that means each is going to make countermoves to what the other is doing.
Moore will make Buffalo better, and his addition, once the move is made official at the beginning of the new league year on March 11, will make quarterback Josh Allen happy. He has a top target again, and Moore, at only 28 years old, could stay that way for a few more years.
Bears trading DJ Moore to the Bills might hurt the Indianapolis Colts
The Patriots announced they will be releasing Stefon Diggs next week, and as the Bills just added Moore, New England is extremely likely to acquire a new, top receiver themselves. It is unlikely that the Pats move away from Diggs without a plan for what comes next.
What comes next could be New England, which will have $57 million to spend this offseason once the release of Diggs becomes official, steals a receiver in free agency, and their top target is probably Alec Pierce. Pierce, as he told Kay Adams on the Up & Adams podcast this week, wants more targets, and he would get them from quarterback Drake Maye in Foxborough.
In other words, Pierce, who wants to explore free agency, could leave the Indianapolis Colts and sign with the most recent AFC representative in the Super Bowl, and get all of his wishes. He wants stability in a franchise? New England has that. Stability at quarterback? Drake Maye isn't going anywhere. Winning culture with the Pats? Yep.
He would also get paid what he wants, be the true WR1 in an offense that knows how to use him better than he has been used with the Colts, and get more East Coast media attention for the success he is having. No path exists where Alec Pierce signing with the Patriots is a bad move for the player.
Meanwhile, the Indianapolis Colts couldn't get quarterback Daniel Jones to agree to a deal before free agency begins, and he might not work out a deal anywhere until after Alec Pierce gets offered. Indy might very well keep Jones, and they might see Pierce leave.