Pierce is open to leaving Indy, citing need for QB stability and winning team.
Colts used transition tag on Daniel Jones, allowing Pierce to test free agency.
Pierce values having a reliable QB and believes Jones could be the answer in Indy.
Jacksonville Jaguars v Indianapolis Colts
Source: Justin Casterline / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – The Colts have left it up to Alec Pierce to decide his NFL future and that’s a risky game to play for a coveted free agent playing a premium position.
By giving the transition tag to Daniel Jones, the Colts have allowed Pierce the freedom to hit the open market, which begins next week.
On Wednesday morning,Pierce appeared on the Up & Adams Show with a variety of answers on his pending free agency.
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“At this point now, I love Indy,” Pierce told host Kay Adams. “I have loved playing there. Great organization. Great people in the city. A ton of support. I know we haven’t been as good as we could be and I know we can be.
“But at this point, I’ve kind of earned the right to explore free agency and see what’s out there and make a decision that’s best for my career and my family.”
Pierce made it clear during his interview that having an answer at quarterback is a critical piece to what he’s looking for in free agency.
That was (is?) a question with the Colts, with Jones also a free agent in 2026. Currently, Jones is on a one-year deal at $37 million with the Colts. However, a team could make Jones a bigger offer next week, and the Colts would then have the right to first refusal in matching such a deal.
“It’s tough as a receiver to really commit to a team not knowing where the quarterback is at,” Pierce said to Adams. “My team and the Colts knew that we weren’t really going to get much done with a deal, until they got a quarterback done. Priority No. 1 was Daniel, and I guess they decided the best option to get a deal done was to place the tag on him.”
Adams asked Pierce specifically what will be important to the 25-year-old wideout finding his next home.
“Definitely quarterback play and stability in a franchise,” the former 2nd round pick said. “Winning culture. Things like that are the most important.
“Being in Indy, I’ve played with a ton of different quarterbacks, and I think they are on their way to figuring that out with Daniel, if they can get a long-term deal done with him, because I believe in him a ton as a quarterback.
“But I think I have understood the battle of not having that stability so as a free agent I would look into a lot.”
It is clear in listening to Pierce, he’s definitely a fan of the Colts trying to retain Jones. Pierce views that as a positive if one were to make a pros/cons list of returning to the Colts.
“It hasn’t been a year, but it feels in that one year, our relationship grown so much,” Pierce said of Jones. “He’s a great, a great friend to me. We have spent so much time together. I think just having that as your quarterback, being able to freely communicate and be on the same page, just because of how tight we were, I think is special.”
Had the Colts given the franchise tag to Pierce, it would have cost them $27 million for the 2026 season. It’s expected a long-term deal for Pierce will lead to an annual value at that mark, if not higher.
Over the next handful of days, the Colts will try to get a long-term deal done with Pierce. With Adams, Pierce said he thought the Colts and his representation would be talking more in the next day or so.
“I think they really said they were going to start working on stuff once they figured out the Daniel stuff, which was (Tuesday),” Pierce said. “So they should be getting back to us (Wednesday or Thursday).”
A team that Adams threw out to Pierce about a possible destination is the Bills.
Certainly, with Josh Allen under center, the Bills check the boxes of great stability at quarterback and a winning culture.
“That would be special,” Pierce said of the Bills and Allen. “(Allen’s) one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL. Big fan of his game. That would be cool, too.”
If a long-term deal with the Colts doesn’t happen, Pierce can start listening to actual offers from opposing teams starting Monday at Noon, during the league’s legal tampering period.
Officially, free agency begins Wednesday, March 11th at 4:00 PM.