The 2026 NFL Free Agency market has officially opened up its negotiating window and teams are making moves quickly. For the Indianapolis Colts, there were two clear priorities entering the offseason.
Both Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce were eligible to leave the Colts in free agency. Chris Ballard and the front office made the decision to place the transition tag on Jones, leaving Pierce wide open to leave town for another team in free agency.
Despite the scare of Pierce potentially leaving, Indianapolis moved quickly to re-sign Pierce.
According to a report from NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Colts worked out a deal with Pierce that comes out to four years and $114 million.
“Free agent WR Alec Pierce has agreed to terms to remain in Indianapolis on a historic 4 year $114M deal that will make him the highest paid free agent receiver in NFL History,” Rapoport wrote on X.
“The deal negotiated by agents Mike Swenson and CJ LaBoy, came together overnight and contains $84m in guarantees, $60m fully guaranteed at signing, and a max package of $116M.”
Alec Pierce Reveals Why He Chose to stay With Colts
Shortly after his decision to re-sign with Indianapolis, Pierce made an appearance on the “Pat McAfee Show” and explained why he decided to rebuff other offers to stay with the Colts.
“I knew where my heart was. I love the city of Indianapolis,” Pierce said. “I think we can be special.”
At the start of the 2025 NFL season, Indianapolis was arguably the best team in the league. It appeared that the Colts were well on their way to winning the AFC South and potentially a Super Bowl run.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t in the cards. Indianapolis fell off late in the season, with injuries being a big part of the problem. The Colts lost lost seven straight games to close out the season and missed the playoffs.
Despite the disappointment from the end of the year, Pierce fully believes in his teams ability to bounce back strong in 2026.
What Does Alec Pierce Bring to the Field for Indianapolis?
There are few wide receivers in the NFL more dynamic than Pierce. He led the league in yards per reception again in 2025, averaging 21.3.
Throughout the course of the entire season, the 25-year-old wideout caught 47 passes for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns. It was a true breakout season for him.
Hopefully, the investment that Indianapolis has made in Pierce pays off. He’ll need to play up to being a No. 1 target for Jones or whoever the Colts’ quarterback ends up being.
Expect to see Chris Ballard and the Indianapolis front office remain active and aggressive. There is a sense of urgency surrounding the Colts’ organization to be a legitimate contender in 2026.
Colts’ Alec Pierce Reveals Why He Re-Signed With Indianapolis