Wide receiver Alec Pierce had a breakout season in 2024, and safe to say, the NFL noticed. Named the most improved player for the Indianapolis Colts, Pierce showed the league that he has an incredibly bright future ahead of him.
Given that, it would seem likely that the Colts would want to hang onto this up-and-coming star wide receiver - yet rumors are flying that he could be a trade candidate for the Buffalo Bills or the Carolina Panthers. And sure, this would be a huge boost to either of those teams. But what would could the Colts possibly get back to offset the loss they would suffer if Pierce left?
One reason for trading Pierce is that the Colts also have Josh Downs, one of the best WRs in the league, and Michael Pittman, Jr., a star WR whose play was only hampered in 2024 because he literally played through the season with a broken back.
None of this means Alec Pierce isn't necessary to the Indianapolis offense, though. Pierce paired well with Anthony Richardson; Richardson's cannon arm made for some incredible plays that only Pierce seemed capable of making with his size and speed. Pierce had the longest average depth of target (22.3) in the league in 2024, and had a career-high 824 receiving yards on 37 catches.
This came after what seemed like the beginning of the end for him; drafted in 2022, he had a slow start, and the signing of Adonai Mitchell in 2024 only made it look even more likely that Pierce would be forgotten. But when Chris Ballard told Pierce he needed to compete, Pierce took that seriously, while Mitchell struggled to make progress.
Pierce quickly became a favorite among both his teammates and the fans alike, and he's become one of the Colts' top offensive players. It would be insanity to bank on Mitchell and trade away Pierce when, with the Downs-Pittman-Pierce trio, the Colts could have one of the most lethal WR groups in the league.
Trading Alec Pierce would be a monumental mistake for the Colts
