It has been a busy offseason for the Indianapolis Colts so far. Choosing to move forward with Daniel Jones as their quarterback of the foreseeable future, they had to build the rest of the roster around him perfectly.
That change came in the form of some tough decisions in the wide receiver corps. But after a massive extension for Alec Pierce, it seems clear that he’s poised to be their clear-cut number one option. Unfortunately, injuries have derailed his summer in a major way.
The Colts Have Their Hopes Pinned on Alec Pierce
Drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, it took a while for Pierce to emerge as a major piece for the Colts. Tallying less than 600 receiving yards in each of his first two seasons, he took a jump during the 2024 campaign.
However, last year, with Jones as his quarterback, the Cincinnati product emerged as a legitimate weapon. Starting 14 games for them, he put up 1,003 receiving yards and six touchdowns, while averaging over 20 yards per reception for the second-straight year.
According to PFN’s WR Impact Metric, Pierce posted an impact score of 79.9, ranking 13 th in the league. It was a significant improvement from 2024, when he had an impact score of 76.0 and ranked 36th.
The Colts certainly liked what they saw, signing him to a four-year, $114 million deal, including a $26 million signing bonus and $84 million guaranteed. Moreover, they also traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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As a result, he is their clear-cut option at wideout, with some combination of Josh Downs, Ashton Dulin, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine behind him on the depth chart. Unfortunately, the immediate returns have been a scary sight for the Indianapolis faithful.
Pierce chose to have a clean-up surgery concerning the left ankle issue that was bothering him near the end of the 2025 season. The recovery timeline makes him available near the start of the regular season.
But that has limited his presence at training camp, where he’s continuing his rehab. However, wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne, who spent 14 seasons with the Colts, has a hilarious reaction about his recovery.
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“He’s getting on my nerves,” Wayne joked, before adding, “He’s definitely locked in, in tune. Just got to talking to him about his rehab and where he is. I’m excited for him, man. He’s upbeat, then that means he’s the way he wants to be.”
“He’s getting on my nerves.” 🤣
Reggie Wayne jokes about how it’s been spending a lot of time with Alec Pierce on the sidelines. Says he doesn’t want to rush him back.
“I don’t want him at 80%. I need him 100. However long that takes, it is what it is.”@WISHNews8 | @wrtv |… pic.twitter.com/GI900u7Md9
— Angela Moryan (@AngelaMoryanTV) August 9, 2026
However, as a six-time Pro Bowler and Super Bowl champion, he also recognizes the level that Pierce needs to reach for the Colts to be a legitimate contender in the AFC. As a result, his mission statement for Pierce was clear.
“Obviously, we know what he means to our room,” Wayne added. “I just want him whenever he’s at 100%. I don’t want him at 85, I don’t want him at 80. I need him 100. However long that takes, it is what it is.”
It remains to be seen how the recovery timeline plays out for the star wide receiver in the coming weeks. There hasn’t been a concrete confirmation by head coach Shane Steichen or general manager Chris Ballard about Pierce’s availability for Week 1.
But given his importance to their entire operation, the fate of the Colts’ season could end up resting directly in Pierce’s hands.
