Stampede Blue
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce could warrant upwards of $20M/year in a new deal this upcoming offseason:
“Teams I’ve talked to anticipate [Alec] Pierce will hit a big number in free agency. They think the $20 million per year threshold isn’t out of the question for him. Pierce is poised for his first 1,000-yard season and has the size/speed combination teams covet.”
The Indianapolis Colts have one of the strongest starting receiver trios in the entire NFL. Their complementary makeup makes for a near-perfect combination of sorts — and then you throw in the starting tight end, rookie Tyler Warren, and the Colts have a four-headed monster running routes.
Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs — the three names that make this trio in question, a double entendre, as this was their draft order over the years. General manager Chris Ballard began rebuilding the offense during the 2020 NFL Draft, selecting two cornerstones with back-to-back picks in the early stages of the second round: wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and running back Jonathan Taylor.
The journey for offensive competency, especially through the air, continued in the 2022 NFL Draft, where the Colts selected Alec Pierce’s services with their top pick, a 2nd rounder, before finishing up a year later, as the slot receiver of the future, Josh Downs, was scooped up in the 3rd round.
A raw but explosive talent, the vision for Pierce was clear. He has since blossomed into the NFL’s best deep threat, bar none, yet he’s also showcased additional tricks up his sleeve as a passcatcher, as well as remaining the ultimate team player that he is by going all out on any and every downfield block.
Standing at a staggering 6’3”, 211 lbs, while maintaining a certain level of speed that few across the league can rival, and hardly any at his size, Pierce is the picture-perfect modern-day deep threat. He’s always been selfless, blocking his tail off at any chance he gets, but his progression as a passcatcher on more intermediate routes than his patented “he’s down there somewhere” deep shots instills reality into these contract talks.
Pierce’s route tree has evolved immensely since entering the league, but even since last season. In 2024, Pierce ran “go” routes 41% of the time, but has lessened that total to a 27% vertical rate. His improved short-area quickness and separation gained on deeper breaks was evident during training camp, and has evolved into a reliable option on non-deep shots throughout the season. Even though his opportunity downfield has shrunk a bit, he’s still among the best vertical threats this league has to offer.
Alec Pierce has the most receptions of 35+ air yards since he entered the league in 2022, with 17 such receptions, and counting. He’s also the only wide receiver so far this decade to notch multiple seasons averaging a depth of 20+ yards per target, with two of his showings (2024-present) serving as half...
