NFL insider links Alec Pierce to a destination Colts fans will hate

Could Alec Pierce really leave the Indianapolis Colts only to return to face them twice a year as the enemy? It's in the realm of possibility, yes, considering that Pierce is free to sign wherever he wishes, and if the Colts can't offer him the best deal possible. 

The hope in Indianapolis is, of course, that Chris Ballard can sway the highly-touted free agent wideout to return to the Colts and continue to excel as the team's No. 1 option for Daniel Jones for years to come. Jones is also a free agent, of course, but reports from and around Indy say Ballard has each player at the top of his priority list to re-sign. 

The NFL is, however, unpredictable at times, especially in free agency, which means Colts fans have to be prepared for, say, Pierce, to be the only one to walk. In that case, the Colts will have a lot of work to do to replenish their wide receiver room. As for Pierce, if not the Colts, where could he sign? He will be highly sought after, not just by the Colts but possibly by one of their division rivals as well.

NFL analyst Matt Bowen tabs the Titans as a perfect landing spot for Alec Pierce if the Indianapolis Colts fail in their pursuit

The AFC South has the potential to be one of the most competitive divisions in football in a few years, provided Trevor Lawrence and C.J. Stroud can eventually meet and exceed their high expectations, Cam Ward lives up to his hype, and Jones can fully revive his career once fully healthy. 

The Houston Texans, Tennessee Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars all have great potential at quarterback and on their coaching staffs, and the same goes for the Colts. But it’s not the Jaguars or Texans that could threaten the Colts' season next year, but the Titans. 

According to ESPN's Matt Bowen, the Titans could threaten the Colts' rights to Pierce. Depending on what kind of contract the Colts are willing to cough up to keep Pierce in the building, a team like the Titans, a Colts rival, could swing in and steal him away, and Bowen believes the Titans are an ideal landing spot should Pierce decide to sign somewhere else. 

"With the Titans in position to be active in free agency, I like Pierce in Tennessee under new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll," Bowen wrote. "Pierce has the vertical stretch ability to produce down the field and can play a volume role as a multilevel target for quarterback Cam Ward."

Pierce signing with the Titans would be bad news for Jones, but great news for Ward, who will be entering his second NFL season without a high-profile pass catcher. Pierce could be exactly what Ward needs to grow into a very good to elite quarterback of the future. 

Ward would surely benefit from Pierce as his go-to guy, after leading the NFL in yards per catch the last two seasons, and eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career last season. Pierce is just getting started, which further intensifies the pressure on the Colts' brass to go big with a contract offer. 

A potential Ward-Pierce combo could significantly hurt the Colts, leaving Jones without a true No. 1 target, provided they don't sign someone else in free agency or hit a home run on a wideout in the draft.