In his first three seasons in the NFL, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce proved he could do one thing extremely well. That is that he could beat defenders deep with his speed and 6'3" height. The problem is that Pierce has shown he can do much else.
That might be changing, though. Though it's still early in training camp, with Indy's first preseason game a little less than a week away, Pierce is running the kind of routes that would make him a well-rounded receiver. His career-high in receptions so far is only 41, and that came in his rookie season of 2022.
Should Pierce prove he can do other things besides post patterns, he could see his receptions climb closer to 70. His yards per target might diminish (he led the NFL with 22.3 yards per catch in 2024), but his career number is a very good 17.6. Should he get 17 yards a reception with 70 catches in 2025, he would have a career high 1,190 yards receiving.
Alec Pierce might finally be ready to have a truly breakout season for the Indianapolis Colts
He is capable of doing that, and head coach Shane Steichen knows it. Steichen has also noticed the change in Pierce in training camp.
The coach told the media after practice recently, "He just keeps making strides. Last year was a helluva year for him. He carried it over to the offseason and spring, and then he's continued it in training camp... Whether it's running a seven-cut or a one-on-one stop route, he's getting explosive at the top of the route, using his hands, getting the defenders off. So, he's making those steps too, which is awesome."
Fellow wide receiver Michael Pittman has also observed the change in Pierce.
Pittman said, "Alec's doing what I think he's always done. He's very consistent, he's very fast, and he's the best deep ball threat in the NFL. Alec can do anything. It's just his opportunity has been deep stuff, and maybe we'll see more intermediate, shallow stuff to add into it."
Even though the Colts' quarterback play has been underwhelming in recent seasons, an elite receiving group could make the entire offense much better. The Colts are on the cusp of that, even if Anthony Richardson or Daniel Jones struggle. Indy added tight end Tyler Warren in the draft, and he should have more space due to playing with Pittman, Pierce, and Josh Downs.
With average quarterback play, Indianapolis is going to win a lot more games than people expect. The AFC South is certainly open for the taking. The Tennessee Titans will be starting a rookie quarterback. The Jacksonville Jaguars have had talent, but seem to find ways to fail. The Houston Texans might be the only team in Indy's way of the division crown.
A more versatile Pierce makes everybody more dangerous. Drops have not been his biggest problem (he has just three in each of his first three seasons), but his route tree has been limited. It wasn't clear whether that was the Colts' fault or the players. In training camp, though, it has become clear that Alec Pierce is capable of more, and the Indianapolis Colts are going to benefit from that.