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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - OCTOBER 29: Alec Pierce #14 of the Indianapolis Colts attempts to catch a pass while defended by Marshon Lattimore #23 of the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium on October 29, 2023 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
NFL free agency is starting next week, and we are beginning to get a sense of where top targets are headed, and what their contract status will be. New England Patriots target Alec Pierce may have his negotiations stretch out to Monday. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported this.
Pierce made it clear over the last week that he wants to test the open market. He spoke on the Up and Adams show earlier this week and made that abundantly clear. The Patriots have circled Pierce as a potential target on the market. The team needs a top wideout following the release of Stefon Diggs.
Now, Fowler offered an idea of where the wide receiver stands with the free agency timeframe set to begin on Monday.
Expect negotiations between Alec Pierce and the Colts to go down to the wire as the team tries to keep him off Monday’s open market.
That’s going to be a challenge. Pierce appears poised to make at least $27 million per year on a new deal. The Patriots, Commanders, Raiders and Titans are among teams in the mix.
Patriots Are Familiar With Potential Asking Price
$27 million is a figure that makes sense. The Patriots would have had to pay Diggs around that number this season. The receiver is coming off a productive 2025 campaign. He recorded 47 receptions for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns. His 21.3 yards per catch ranked first in the league, and he had 84 targets overall. The wide receiver came off a career-year last year, and now is set to cash in.
This is not exactly a surprise, given his previous production. He led the NFL in yards per reception last year with 22.3. The playmaker had 37 receptions for 824 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024. He has shown the ability to stretch the field, and has been able to establish himself as a downfield playmaker. On top of this, the Colts’ quarterback situation has not been the most stable over the past couple seasons. Yet, he still managed to produce at a high level.
Latest Development Could Benefit Patriots
Negotiations lasting until free agency begins could benefit the Patriots. For one, it could give them the idea of what Pierce’s market is. The demand for wide receivers in this free agent class is relatively strong. The receiver could end up landing a bit more than the $27 million figure.
Either way, this puts the Patriots in an interesting position heading into free agency. They need a top wide receiver. They need a playmaker who will be able to stretch the field, and Pierce does that. It seems as though negotiations are not necessarily going the smoothest for A. J. Brown either. This could cause them to pivot to Piece at some point. He is someone whom they have been interested in. At the very least, the team needs to be ready to put out a potential offer. Missing out on Pierce would put them in a difficult spot, and take one of their bigger targets off the board.
The wide receiver would fit exactly what the team needs. On top of this, he would be a young top receiver option. The Patriots were already looking for younger receivers before releasing Diggs, and Pierce would check all the boxes here. Now, it’s just about being able to get a deal done in what is going to be a busy couple of days.