The Los Angeles Chargers have been linked to virtually every wide receiver to hit the market over the last few years, and this offseason is no different.
Everyone wanted to see Chris Godwin catch balls from Justin Herbert coming into the offseason, but he decided to stay in Tampa Bay. Davante Adams was also a popular target for the Chargers, but he went with the Los Angeles Rams instead.
Now that the free agency options at wide receiver have dwindled, trade rumors have begun to swirl. Chief among them is the idea of the Indianapolis Colts' Alec Pierce in powder blue.
Pierce is coming off his best season as a pro, with career highs in both touchdowns and receiving yards. However, Pierce is entering a contract year with Indianapolis, and the Colts may want to cash in on the former second-round pick's success last season.
Trading a player who just had his best season may not make sense at first glance, but for the Colts, it does. They have an abundance of talent at wide receiver, with Josh Downs, Michael Pittman Jr., and 2024 second-round pick Adonai Mitchell.
The Colts won't have to start paying Downs and Mitchell for a couple of seasons and have Pittman under contract until 2027. With the state of their roster outside of the wide receiver position, signing Pierce would be like buying a velvet couch when the roof is leaking. They have more pressing matters to spend money on, and Pierce is a luxury they don't need.
Pierce is a quality player in his own right, even in a loaded wide receiver room. His 22.3 yards per reception last season was the highest in the NFL, nearly a full yard ahead of second place.
Pierce's athletic ability stands out at a position known for athleticism, with a 9.83 Relative Athletic Score. At six-foot-three and 211 pounds, he had over a 40-inch vertical jump and a 4.41 40-yard dash at the combine.
He puts this athleticism to work on the field, and Anthony Richardson's rocket launcher of an arm fully unlocked it in 2024.
ANTHONY RICHARDSON 60-YARD DIME TO ALEC PIERCE.
: #HOUvsIND on CBS/Paramount+
: https://t.co/waVpO909gepic.twitter.com/p0xddm5Kl1
— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2024
Pierce has more than just deep speed to his game, however. He was known as a ball-winner coming out of college, and we've seen this ability often since he got to the league.
Alec Pierce is healthy and back to dunking pic.twitter.com/i1sVqcp20C
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) September 26, 2022
Pierce's speed and size are something the Chargers' offense desperately needs. They don't have enough playmakers at the position, and playmaker is Pierce's middle name.
Quarterback Justin Herbert has one of the strongest arms in the NFL, and the marriage between his accuracy down the field and Pierce's ball-tracking ability should have Chargers fans pounding the table for this trade to take place.
The Chargers still have the opportunity to find a wide receiver with a similar skillset in the draft, but if they leave empty-handed, a trade for Pierce could and should be on the table.
Related: The Biggest Needs and Best Fits for the Chargers in the NFL Draft
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This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 8:10 PM.