Entering the 2023 season, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce is a player that’s expected to breakout. Pierce is entering his second year in the league, has returned with a more built frame, and also has a young quarterback that can get him the ball deep. If Pierce holds up his end of the bar, he should make a significant second-year jump.
That’s what everyone thought, but the preseason has given some worry on if that will actually happen. Pierce only played in two of the three preseason games, the first and the last. In the first game against the Buffalo Bills, Pierce was targeted just once, a beautiful deep ball from Anthony Richardson that Pierce dropped after making contact with the ground.
In the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Pierce was targeted three times but didn’t record a catch. This led to Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter saying that Pierce left plays on the table in the preseason, but the team is still confident in what he’ll do in year two. Dan Orlovsky also took to Twitter to say that Indy needs Pierce to be much better.
Colts expecting second-year leap from Alec Pierce
Ultimately, it’s just a few series in the preseason. Obviously, it would’ve been great to see Pierce shine with his new quarterback in the limited preseason action, but it means nothing. While it’s fair to say that Pierce needs to be better, there’s no reason to panic. Pierce has had a good camp, and he has skills that should shine this season.
As a rookie, his career got off to a slow start as well, dropping a touchdown in his first game and sustaining a concussion. However, when he returned to the field, he caught 41 passes for 593 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games. Those receptions included a lot of big plays and contested catches over defenders, showing that he can be an explosive player.
While the Colts will certainly need that, Cooter has also acknowledged Pierce’s expanded route tree. The young wideout is becoming a more complete receiver, and it’ll be time for him to show that once the regular season starts.