According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, Indianapolis Colts pending free agent wideout Alec Pierce is ‘expected to have a robust market’ once the legal tampering period begins this Monday, at 12 PM EST:
For what it’s worth, the NFL’s official signing period begins this Wednesday, March
11th, at 4 PM EST.
Of course, Russini’s report is not exactly surprising, as Pierce has already been speculated to have a number of interested suitors including the Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, and Tennessee Titans among them, before this year’s free agency formally kicks off next mid-week.
With the Colts electing to place the transition tag on fellow soon-to-be free agent, starting quarterback Daniel Jones, instead, Pierce is surprisingly hitting the free agency market untagged as an unrestricted free agent.
That means any other NFL team is free to sign Pierce without any restrictions, or protections for the Colts.
The former 2022 2nd round pick of the Colts, at 25-years-old, just had a breakout 2025 campaign. He caught 47 receptions for 1,003 total receiving yards and 6 touchdown receptions during 15 games (14 starts) in 2025.
His 21.3 yards per reception average led the league, which Pierce has done now two seasons in a row.
It raises the question of whether the Colts, and specifically longtime general manager Chris Ballard may have performed a major miscalculation regarding Pierce’s ‘looming and booming’ free agency status.
Instead of just locking up Jones to save the tag for Pierce, or agreeing to an earlier contract extension with Pierce all together, the Colts may be poised now to lose their best and reigning lead wideout set to enter the prime of his football playing career. Pierce has an elite and unique skill-set with his ability to separate and win downfield too.
