Alec Pierce Ejection
Getty
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce was drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL draft.
The Denver Broncos know they want to improve their wide receivers room this offseason. Flush with cash and clout after earning the AFC’s No. 1 seed in the playoffs, there should be plenty of targets out there willing to come to the Mile High City.
One of the most intriguing names that’s been thrown about as a possible fit for the Broncos has been Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce, who had career highs of 47 receptions for 1,003 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2025 while missing 2 regular season games.
Unfortunately for the Broncos, any possible team-up with Pierce is going to have to wait, if it ever happens at all.
“Colts have made clear to Alec Pierce they plan to keep him via a franchise/transition tag or a long-term deal,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on his official X account on Sunday. “But a tag for (quarterback) Daniel Jones is becoming a real possibility due to the absence of a new deal. Some in league believe Indy is leaning that way.”
Broncos Coming Off Incredible Run With Dead Cap
One of the incredible things about the Denver Broncos going from missing the playoffs for 9 seaons to a playoff team to a Super Bowl contender over the last few seasons has been them doing so with one hand tied behind their backs.
The built-in (and self-inflicted) disadvantage came in the form of $85 million in dead cap money spread out over the 2024 and 2025 seasons — money which could have been split up so many ways it boggles the mind.
In 2026, for the first time in years, the Broncos will be on an even playing when it comes to free agency and the salary cap. This is bad news for opponents, considering what Denver just did without that extra cash.
Denver is already approximately $45 million under the cap — a number that will continue to grow — and only have approximately $1.2 million in dead cap space.
The answer seems pretty clear what they should do with all that extra money, and it’s get quarterback Bo Nix someone really, really good to throw the ball to.
Pierce Could Have Made Big Splash in Free Agency
Of the best free agent wide receivers available, only Dallas Cowboys star George Pickens stands above 25-year-old Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce. This means Pierece is actually probably the No. 1 option because Pickens will almost certainly be forced to play on the franchise tag in 2026.
Pierce, a 2022 second round pick (No. 53 overall) out of Cincinnati, has led the NFL in yards per catch the last 2 seasons.
He could have also be the perfect compliment to Pro Bowl wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who has passed 1,000 receiving yards each of the last 2 seasons and signed a relatively modest 4-year, $92 million contract extension before this season.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox put the 6-foot-3, 212-pound Pierce at No. 9 on his list of the Top 50 NFL free agents in the 2026 cycle, with a projected 4-year, $85 million contract headed his way.
“Pierce has a good relationship with Jones,” Fowler wrote. “If the team tags Pierce but doesn’t reach a deal with Jones, for example, that could be an issue for Pierce. Conversely, tagging Jones ensures he will be there in 2026, a move that would appeal to Pierce. A franchise tag for Pierce would come in around $27 million, while Jones would get $43.9 million on the franchise tag and $37.8 million on the transition. Those numbers are steep but reasonable. The Colts haven’t tipped their hand in a possible direction. Pierce would command a massive contract if he hit free agency. In November, we reported his market could hit $20 million. Think higher now.”