Will Colts WR Alec Pierce actually reach free agency?

I'll say this without hesitation: Alec Pierce deserves to get paid.

Even with a somewhat shaky quarterback situation on the Indianapolis Colts, the now fifth-year receiver has notably improved his production in three straight seasons. If he's able to land on the right team, Pierce very well could become an NFL household name in short order.

As it stands, whether Pierce will get to leave Indianapolis in free agency in the next week or so won't necessarily be up to him. And it will, ironically, likely depend on the status of his quarterback, Daniel Jones.

That's according to ESPN's Field Yates, who reported on Tuesday that the Colts are still working on a new contract for the veteran quarterback. If Indianapolis is able to sign Jones to a new deal, then Pierce would get Indy's only franchise tag. If the Colts can't agree to terms with Jones, then he will get the tag, in turn allowing Pierce to test the open market. Hmm.

The biggest domino on tag deadline day is what happens with the Colts.

Absent a deal with Daniel Jones, he's almost certain to get a tag.

Alec Pierce would then be set to cash in in a gigantic way if he wants to go to the open market.

If the Colts can somehow find a deal in a… https://t.co/C4UHuONvJi

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 3, 2026

It's a delicate situation, with the immediate futures of two Colts players hanging in the balance. The Colts better be careful, otherwise they'll screw up a setup that had them sitting at 8-2 last year before Jones' season-ending Achilles injury tanked their playoff hopes.

Who might be interested in Alec Pierce in free agency?

Given how good the 25-year-old Pierce has been, he should have no shortage of possible free-agent suitors who need dynamic downfield weapons.

You could probably count the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, and Denver Broncos amongst the interested teams. And yes, those are three of the AFC's best teams on paper, which means Pierce could potentially swing the hopes of a Super Bowl contender.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Alec Pierce free agency: Here's the latest on Colts WR's status