The Indianapolis Colts were one of the more tragic stories in the NFL in 2025. The team began the year 7-1 but collapsed down the stretch and missed the playoffs. Despite that ending, Indy did make a ton of key strides and saw fourth-year wide receiver Alec Pierce have his career-best season.
Pierce ended up catching 47 passes for 1,003 yards and 6 touchdowns, and over the past two seasons, he has led the NFL in yards per reception with 22.3 and 21.3 yards per grab, respectively. He's an interesting player, as he averaged 3.1 receptions per game this year. He's not a high-volume player, but he has explosive play-making ability and is clearly a top-3 deep ball threat in the entire league.
Alec Pierce is going to have a market this offseason, but it's not super clear right now which teams may feel comfortable paying him $20 million per year or more for about three receptions per game. We ranked the best free agency fits for Pierce right here.
Ranking the most ideal free agency fits for WR Alec Pierce in the 2026 offseason
5. Indianapolis Colts
A return to the Indianapolis Colts could still happen and could also be the best thing for Pierce. The Colts were 7-1 at one point and had swung a major trade for CB Sauce Gardner at the NFL trade deadline. Given where the Colts are right now, they surely plan to run it back in 2026, and if the 7-1 start told us anything, it's that this team could be a juggernaut.
There is absolutely a chance that Colts' GM Chris Ballard offers Pierce a lucrative contract to build on his breakout 2025 season with the team that drafted him.
4. Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans do not have a very talented roster and simply need better players, especially on offense. The Titans could covet Pierce as a much-needed weapon for Cam Ward, a 2025 rookie who really put some nice things on film the final month of the season. Tennessee has a ton of cap space and could likely outbid any team for Pierce's services.
3. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are another AFC team with a need for another offensive weapon. The Patriots throw the ball down the field better than most teams in the league this year and could really mess around and win another Super Bowl. One thing is clear, though; as good as this season has been for New England, the roster still needs some talent.
The Pats are honestly playing with house money and could get hyper-aggressive next offseason to surround Drake Maye with as much talent as possible. Maye made huge strides in 2025 and is going to receive MVP votes as well. Adding Alec Pierce to the offense would only further New England's ability to throw the ball down the field, and it would almost be unfair.
2. Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen might have the strongest arm in the NFL and would surely love someone like Alec Pierce in the mix. The Bills, like the Patriots, need another weapon on offense. Allen was throwing to veteran WR Brandin Cooks in overtime in the Bills' Divisional Round loss to the Denver Broncos, and that's not really something that can continue.
GM Brandon Beane has been very aggressive before and may need to kick the aggresion up a notch to land Pierce. With Khalil Shakir being in the mix, a receiver who thrives on underneath routes, adding Pierce would further strain opposing defenses and give the Bills an explosive element to the passing game in the first year of the Joe Brady era.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
Speaking of throwing the ball down the field, that's something the Kansas City Chiefs have not been able to do well these past couple of seasons, and, yet again, we have another AFC team in need of another offensive weapon.
Patrick Mahomes was elite at pushing the ball down the field earlier in his career, but in all honesty, trading away Tyreek Hill kind of halted that big-time. With Mahomes slowly but surely getting older and now coming off a major injury, the Chiefs' front office has to surround him with more talent, as he can't keep carrying this offense like he has in 2024 and for much of 2025.
Signing Alec Pierce would be an impact move at the right time for Kansas City.