Before the ink was dry on a brand new $114 million deal, Alec Pierce found himself undergoing ankle surgery which carried a 4-6 month timetable. This isn’t to imply that anything was calculated or malicious, but that was some bad timing because that’s a lot of time on the shelf. The hope was to avoid surgery altogether, but the highest paid receiver by a mile on the Indianapolis Colts is going to have a lot of rust to shake off in short order.
While the surgery was a success and no lingering issues
are expected, the amount of time missed is problematic. On the long end of things, his recovery bumps right up against the regular season. Even with how well Pierce played last year, getting back to that level doesn’t happen overnight. Any time missed from training camp or the offseason in general hurts. Yes, he had a fantastic season in 2025, but I wouldn’t consider him an established talent who can afford to miss time.
The Colts have to be feeling a little uneasy because not only is Pierce out, the laundry list of injured players is starting to pile up. Headlining that list is the quarterback. Daniel Jones looks good in his recovery, but his availability to start the season is still unknown. Could the Colts go into 2026 without their quarterback and top wideout? Michael Pittman Jr. is gone, so the drop-off is even more stark. The prospect of a bunch of backups filling in for starters is uncomfortable at best.
The Colts don’t just need a healthy Alec Pierce; they need an even higher level player than last year’s stud. He has to bring it for the Colts to be successful. There are good to great players on the offense outside of Pierce, but a team’s number one receiver has to show up. At this point, showing up on the field in general is the bigger concern. Ideally, he recovers on the short side of the window and is back in action with plenty of time before September. If not, expect the fidgeting to increase.
