Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce missed most of the team’s training camp due to a left ankle injury. The wide receiver was activated from the physically unable to perform list (PUP) but has been in rehab after undergoing surgery on his left ankle in March.
After wide receiver Keenan Allen’s arrest on Sunday for drunk driving, Pierce’s availability for the Week 1 clash against the Baltimore Ravens has become a concern for the Colts.
Will Alec Pierce Be Available for Colts in Week 1?
The Athletic’s James Boyd revealed on X that Pierce was practicing with the team on Tuesday, signaling his availability for Week 1.
While speaking to reporters on Tuesday, General Manager Chris Ballard was also optimistic about the wide receiver’s availability for the game against the Ravens.
“It’s good to have him back out there, got a good day of work today,” Ballard said. “We’ll see going forward, but we’re hopeful. We’ll see how it ends up landing. Everybody’s rehab’s a little bit different. He’s progressing to a point. He’s worked really hard, he’s pushed really hard and he’s progressing really nicely. We think we’re in a good spot, and we’ll see how it continues to progress over the next 10 days.”
Pierce hoped to avoid surgery and tried to treat his injury with a platelet-rich plasma injection after the season ended.
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The problems with his ankle persisted, forcing him to undergo surgery in late March.
While speaking to reporters, the wide receiver further detailed his injury struggles; doctors gave a four- to six-month recovery timeline after the surgery.
The wide receiver missed the Colts’ training camp and three preseason games as the offense labored without his downfield threat.
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“We found out it had something bone-wise that was causing issues, so we went ahead and got rid of the issue, so I didn’t continue to hurt myself,” Pierce said.
Pierce played college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats and was named second-team All-American Athletic Conference in his senior year. The wide receiver was selected No. 53 overall by the Colts in the 2022 NFL Draft and, over the years, has steadily increased his production.
Last season, Pierce tallied 1,003 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns on 47 receptions. The wide receiver’s 47 receptions were the fewest to reach 1,000 yards since three-time Pro Bowler DeSean Jackson accomplished it in 2010. Pierce earned a PFN Wide Receiver Impact score of 79.9 (No. 13 in the NFL).
The Colts rewarded Pierce for his first 1,000-yard season with a four-year, $114 million contract.
