Through the course of the Chris Ballard era, the Indianapolis Colts have been rather tight-lipped about injuries. That's why they don't have the benefit of the doubt anymore, and the fans and media often jump to catastrophic conclusions whenever they downplay a player's injury.
Alec Pierce has yet to suit up for training camp, and with contradictory reports of him getting PRP injections on his injured ankle, fans might be having PTSD. Then, watching him walk gingerly and favoring his right foot didn't do much to appease concerns.
That's why former Colts punter-turned internet personality Pat McAfee had to get to the bottom of this. Talking to Daniel Jones, he revealed that his sources in the building confirmed that Pierce was a bit of a "stiff walker," trying to shut down all concerns about the now-viral clips.
Pat McAfee says Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce is a "stiff walker"
"According to my sources, Alec Pierce is a naturally stiff walker, too, like, he's not a super free walker, you know?" McAfee told Jones.
Jones didn't confirm or deny what McAfee's 'sources' told him about Pierce's particular walking mechanics, so there's that. For what it's worth, the team insists on him being on the field for the season opener vs. the Baltimore Ravens.
Pierce underwent an ankle procedure in late March, and he was projected to be out for 4-6 months. He's still on that timeline, and it's hard to envision any scenario in which he's activated from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list at any point in training camp.
The Colts gave Pierce a lucrative four-year, $114 million contract that can reach $116 million with incentives. That's WR1-caliber money, and with Michael Pittman Jr. no longer in the building, he's expected to take a leap and lead the team's passing game.
Pierce has never been a possession guy. He's more of a downfield threat who does most of his damage on limited touches, so the team might need him to be more of a balanced, all-around pass catcher going forward.
The Colts also signed 34-year-old veteran Keenan Allen ahead of the second preseason game, reuniting him with former Chargers assistant coach Shane Steichen. Given how the Colts have usually hidden crucial information behind injuries, it didn't take long for fans to speculate that this signing meant Pierce wasn't progressing as intended.
Whether that's the case or not is something the Colts just won't reveal right now; that's not what they do. That said, they were tied to Allen for months, and perhaps waited this long to sign because he was just managing his workload and taking care of his body ahead of a long season.
Pierce's mysterious situation will continue to be the talking point in Indianapolis, and McAfee's words won't make fans stop analyzing every clip frame-by-frame to try to guess how far along he is in his recovery. Hopefully, his 'sources' are right, though.
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