The Buffalo Bills enter the 2026 offseason in a period of transition and urgency after another Super Bowl miss with Josh Allen, prompting growing focus on whether a true deep-threat receiver could finally unlock the offense.
Rumors have floated for weeks of potential trades or free-agent signings involving such star pass-catchers as the Dallas Cowboys’ George Pickens or the Philadelphia Eagles’ disaffected three-time Pro Bowler A.J. Brown, but a new prediction this week links Buffalo to the wide receiver who may be the most explosive deep threat in the NFL — and who is expected to become available in free agency.
Alec Pierce Could ‘Unlock’ Allen
Alec Pierce was the Indianapolis Colts’ second-round draft pick in 2022, out of Cincinnati. He signed a typical four-year rookie contract for $6.6 million. But that contract has now expired, and Pierce has proven himself worthy of a big raise — cash the Colts are most likely unwilling to pay.
According to the sports business site Spotrac, the 25-year-old Pierce is projected to land another four-year deal, but this time at a total price tag of $80.9 million.
GettyIndianapolis Colts receiver Alec Pierce catches a pass.
That sum — $20.2 million per year — may be too much, at first glance, for the salary-cap-constricted Bills. But with Pierce leading the league in yards per reception two years running, the explosive receiver appears to be exactly what Allen needs to reach the full potential that his powerful arm contains.
“While it will cost more than $20 million per year to sign him, Pierce will be only 26 years old next season,” wrote Matt Johnson of Sportsnaut, who predicted that the Bills will indeed make a move for the Colts receiver. “Signing Pierce will unlock the best version of the Bills’ passing game, finally providing a complement to pair with a great rushing attack.”
Running Mate for Shakir
Allen simply did not have a credible deep-threat wide receiver at his disposal until the Bills plucked 32-year-old veteran Brandin Cooks off the waiver wire in November.
Cooks averaged 22.8 yards per reception in his five regular-season games with the Bills, but he is now a free agent himself.
Otherwise, the Bills’ leading deep-threat wide receiver was 2022 fifth-rounder Khalil Shakir, who averaged just 10 yards per reception.
Pierce, catching passes from three different quarterbacks, including rookie Riley Leonard and 44-year-old Philip Rivers, who came out of a five-year retirement to start three games, averaged 21.3 yards per reception, best in the NFL, after posting 22.3 Y/R in 2024, also a league-leading figure.
“Adding Pierce would give the Bills a much-needed outside threat who can stretch the field and add another element to Buffalo’s offense while also taking some pressure off Buffalo’s top wideout, Khalil Shakir,” wrote Mike Moraitis of The Sporting News in a recent analysis.
The big hang-up for the Bills in signing Pierce, or any free agent, is the salary cap. Even with the upcoming expanded cap number, the Bills are expected to be nearly $6 million over, according to OverTheCap.com. That means to sign Pierce and “unlock” Allen, the Bills will need to move on from some current players.
Bills Linked to Explosive Deep Threat to Unlock Josh Allen’s Offense