The Indianapolis Colts are left with a wide receiver room after the 2026 trade deadline that doesn't look very good. The team also shouldn't expect Alec Pierce to return this season after he aggravated the heel he had offseason surgery on in Week 2.
Head coach Shane Steichen told the media on Wednesday, "We’ll see (if Pierce can come back this season). Like I said last week, he’s still in that rehab process, and I’m not going to put a timetable on (his) return."
The Colts are now in Week 10, and Pierce is still on injured reserve. The team is 2-7 and has no hope of making the playoffs. Playing Pierce again at this point would be criminal, and the only reason to do so would be a sad attempt to sell tickets.
Indianapolis Colts should be without Alec Pierce the rest of the season
In truth, after Indy re-signed the wide receiver last offseason and then he followed that with surgery that was expected to keep him out for 4-6 months, Pierce shouldn't have returned when he did. He should have been held out well into the season.
This is really hindsight being 20/20, either. There appeared to be a rush for the wideout to get back quickly, and he didn't practice fully until just before the season began. He wasn't ready to return, obviously, and playing him so early in the season only caused him to delay when he could truly play again.
The darkly humorous part is that after Indianapolis traded wide receivers Keenan Allen and Josh Downs this week, Pierce, though he only played in Week 1 and the first quarter of Week 2, ranks third in receptions (five) and third in receiving yards (72) among the wide receivers left on the roster. That is how sad the receiver group has been this season for Indianapolis.
At least the Indianapolis Colts wide receiver group can't get any worse in future seasons. Assuming that Alec Pierce can return to full health in 2027, he instantly makes the group better. Plus, Indy should be able to sign some quality free agents and draft a young wideout or two, and the WR room should be vastly improved.
Head coach Shane Steichen might be gone, and so might quarterback Daniel Jones, but that doesn't mean the future will be negatively affected. Indianapolis needs changes at those two spots. With running back Jonathan Taylor remaining on the roster and not being traded, and Alec Pierce coming back in 2027, the offense should be stronger.
A chance still exists that Pierce returns this season, as Steichen wouldn't rule it out, but the wide receiver should sit out the rest of the season. That was the implication by Steichen, and it would be the smart move for the Colts.
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