The Indianapolis Colts could use some big plays to have their best chance of winning in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Alec Pierce is the big play guy, and he’s got a big contract signed in the offseason, as well.
The one concern with Pierce is that he wasn’t fully healthy through the preseason. At one point, it was a question mark as to whether he’d play in Week 1.
Given that the Colts’ WR depth chart falls off pretty quickly, it had potential to be a problem.
Pierce, Josh Downs and Keenan Allen make up the top-three receivers. Behind them, it’s Laquon Treadwell, Ashton Dulin and Deion Burks.
At least to open Sunday’s game, though, the Colts can feel pretty good about who they’ve got available.
Is Alec Pierce Playing Today?
Burks is supposed to play on Sunday, yes. On the Colts’ final injury report, he didn’t have any kind of designation, questionable or otherwise.
It’ll be worth checking the inactive report about 90 minutes before kickoff (11:30 a.m. ET, 10:30 a.m. Central) just to be sure. But at this point, it’d be a surprise if Pierce wasn’t on the field.
The remaining question is whether he’ll get a full allotment of snaps.
Is Alec Pierce on a Snap Count?
Pierce could be on a snap count depending on how the Colts feel about his overall recovery from injury.
ESPN’s Stephen Holder wrote on X on Friday that for Pierce, it’s “snap count TBD.”
It makes sense to hold plans close to the vest on Pierce, and it’s very possible the Colts generally won’t know until Pierce is playing what the full plan is.
He’s also the kind of guy who can make an impact on limited volume.
Pierce is coming off a season in which he had 47 catches for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns. He has led the NFL in yards per catch in back-to-back seasons.
The athletic wideout doesn’t need to be on the field every play to totally change a game.
Daniel Jones clearly trusts Pierce, and in Jones’ first game back after missing the end of last season with an injury, he’ll likely be giving Pierce a chance to make multiple big plays down the field.
If Pierce is at full strength, and even if he’s simply close to full strength, it’s a huge boost for the Colts.
Alec Pierce Contract
This will be Pierce’s first regular season game since signing his massive contract extension.
The deal, signed in March, is worth $114 million over four years.
It set up a new level of the wide receiver market for the players who would be considered below superstar level, impacting negotiations for guys like Parker Washington in Jacksonville, who couldn’t reach an agreement with the Jaguars before Week 1.
Pierce, for his part, has made plays when the Colts have asked him to, and so he earned that big money deal.
Is Alec Pierce Playing Today? Why Colts’ WR Injury News Leaves One Question