Most of the time, “contract year” talk doesn’t tend to add up to much. Not so with Alec Pierce. He made himself some money this season.
There have been times over the last four years that I didn’t Pierce would be around for a second contract. The Colts already have 28-year-old Michael Pittman, who’s had seasons with 109 and 99 catches. And since selecting Pierce in the second round, they’ve used a third-round pick on Josh Downs and a second-rounder on Adonai Mitchell. (Mitchell during the just-completed season was sent to the Jets.)
But Pierce has not only persevered but thrived. He was a good deep threat a year ago, averaging 22.3 yards per catch, and he further expanded his game in the just completed season, catching 47 passes for 1,003 yards and 6 TDs. He’s the first wide receiver in six years to go over 1,000 yards while averaging over 20 yards per catch.
In the 32-team era, 482 wide receivers have gone over 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Only one of those guys (DeSean Jackson) averaged more yards per catch than Pierce. (Only 25 averaged even 18 yards.)
| 1,000-YARD RECEIVERS AVERAGING 18 YARDS PER CATCH | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | No | Yards | Avg | TD |
| 2010 | DeSean Jackson, Phil. | 47 | 1,056 | 22.5 | 6 |
| 2025 | Alec Pierce, Ind. | 47 | 1,003 | 21.3 | 6 |
| 2010 | Mike Wallace, Pitt. | 60 | 1,257 | 21.0 | 10 |
| 2014 | DeSean Jackson, Was. | 56 | 1,169 | 20.9 | 6 |
| 2019 | Mike Williams, LAC | 49 | 1,001 | 20.4 | 2 |
| 2019 | A.J. Brown, Ten. | 52 | 1,051 | 20.2 | 8 |
| 2004 | Ashley Lelie, Den. | 54 | 1,084 | 20.1 | 7 |
| 2012 | Vincent Jackson, T.B. | 72 | 1,384 | 19.2 | 8 |
| 2013 | Josh Gordon, Cle. | 87 | 1,646 | 18.9 | 9 |
| 2010 | Brandon Lloyd, Den. | 77 | 1,448 | 18.8 | 11 |
| 2011 | Victor Cruz, NYG | 82 | 1,536 | 18.7 | 9 |
| 2009 | DeSean Jackson, Phil. | 62 | 1,156 | 18.7 | 9 |
| 2008 | Vincent Jackson, S.D. | 59 | 1,098 | 18.6 | 7 |
| 2011 | Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 68 | 1,263 | 18.6 | 15 |
| 2011 | Vincent Jackson, S.D. | 60 | 1,106 | 18.4 | 9 |
| 2005 | Terry Glenn, Dall. | 62 | 1,136 | 18.3 | 7 |
| 2019 | Kenny Golladay, Det. | 65 | 1,190 | 18.3 | 11 |
| 2021 | Deebo Samuel, S.F. | 77 | 1,405 | 18.3 | 6 |
| 2008 | Steve Smith, Car. | 78 | 1,421 | 18.2 | 6 |
| 2023 | George Pickens, Pitt. | 63 | 1,140 | 18.1 | 5 |
| 2022 | Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 75 | 1,356 | 18.1 | 8 |
| 2020 | DJ Moore, Car. | 66 | 1,193 | 18.1 | 4 |
| 2017 | Marvin Jones, Det. | 61 | 1,101 | 18.1 | 9 |
| 2021 | Ja'Marr Chase, Cin. | 81 | 1,455 | 18.0 | 13 |
| 2016 | DeSean Jackson, Was. | 56 | 1,005 | 18.0 | 4 |
Pierce has the speed to get downfield, and he’s also a larger, rangy receiver, with improved ability to come down with contested balls. And he’s a pro – just 1 dropped pass all year.
It makes for an efficient player. Two years in a row, Pierce has averaged 11.9 yards per target (that is, including both catches and incompletions, the payoff when going to Pierce tends to be about 12 yards). In the last 10 there have been 850 wide receivers who’ve had seasons with at least 50 catches. Only four of those guys averaged more yards than Pierce (who had 2 of the top 3 seasons of the last six years). And Pierce has done it while working with a variety of quarterbacks – Anthony Richardson, Joe Flacco, Daniel Jones, Philip Rivers and most recently Riley Leonard.
In the last 10 years, only four other receivers have gone over 11 yards per target twice, and they’re all legit receivers – Tyler Lockett, Jameson Williams, Christian Watson and A.J. Brown.
| RECEIVERS AVERAGING 11 YARDS PER TARGET (last 10 yrs) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Tgt | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Yd/T |
| 2018 | Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 70 | 57 | 965 | 16.9 | 10 | 13.8 |
| 2023 | Brandon Aiyuk, S.F. | 105 | 75 | 1,342 | 17.9 | 7 | 12.8 |
| 2019 | A.J. Brown, Ten. | 84 | 52 | 1,051 | 20.2 | 8 | 12.5 |
| 2019 | Stefon Diggs, Min. | 94 | 63 | 1,130 | 17.9 | 6 | 12.0 |
| 2024 | Alec Pierce, Ind. | 69 | 37 | 824 | 22.3 | 7 | 11.9 |
| 2025 | Alec Pierce, Ind. | 84 | 47 | 1,003 | 21.3 | 6 | 11.9 |
| 2023 | Nico Collins, Hou. | 109 | 80 | 1,297 | 16.2 | 8 | 11.9 |
| 2016 | Chris Hogan, N.E. | 58 | 38 | 680 | 17.9 | 4 | 11.7 |
| 2020 | Will Fuller, Hou. | 75 | 53 | 879 | 16.6 | 8 | 11.7 |
| 2024 | Christian Watson, G.B. | 53 | 29 | 620 | 21.4 | 2 | 11.7 |
| 2021 | Deebo Samuel, S.F. | 121 | 77 | 1,405 | 18.3 | 6 | 11.6 |
| 2017 | JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 79 | 58 | 917 | 15.8 | 7 | 11.6 |
| 2022 | Jaylen Waddle, Mia. | 117 | 75 | 1,356 | 18.1 | 8 | 11.6 |
| 2016 | Taylor Gabriel, Atl. | 50 | 35 | 579 | 16.5 | 6 | 11.6 |
| 2020 | Rashard Higgins, Cle. | 52 | 37 | 599 | 16.2 | 4 | 11.5 |
| 2021 | Kendrick Bourne, N.E. | 70 | 55 | 800 | 14.6 | 5 | 11.4 |
| 2024 | Jayden Reed, G.B. | 75 | 55 | 857 | 15.6 | 6 | 11.4 |
| 2021 | Ja'Marr Chase, Cin. | 128 | 81 | 1,455 | 18.0 | 13 | 11.4 |
| 2020 | Julio Jones, Atl. | 68 | 51 | 771 | 15.1 | 3 | 11.3 |
| 2017 | Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 105 | 75 | 1,183 | 15.8 | 7 | 11.3 |
| 2017 | Ted Ginn, N.O. | 70 | 53 | 787 | 14.9 | 4 | 11.2 |
| 2020 | Justin Jefferson, Min. | 125 | 88 | 1,400 | 15.9 | 7 | 11.2 |
| 2024 | A.J. Brown, Phil. | 97 | 67 | 1,079 | 16.1 | 7 | 11.1 |
| 2019 | Mike Williams, LAC | 90 | 49 | 1,001 | 20.4 | 2 | 11.1 |
| 2025 | Christian Watson, G.B. | 55 | 35 | 611 | 17.5 | 6 | 11.1 |
| 2018 | Mike Evans, T.B. | 138 | 86 | 1,524 | 17.7 | 8 | 11.0 |
| 2019 | Chris Godwin, T.B. | 121 | 86 | 1,333 | 15.5 | 9 | 11.0 |
| 2024 | Jameson Williams, Det. | 91 | 58 | 1,001 | 17.3 | 7 | 11.0 |
| 2025 | Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Sea. | 163 | 119 | 1,793 | 15.1 | 10 | 11.0 |
| 2021 | Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 107 | 73 | 1,175 | 16.1 | 8 | 11.0 |
| 2020 | M. Valdes-Scantling, G.B. | 63 | 33 | 690 | 20.9 | 6 | 11.0 |
| 2025 | Jameson Williams, Det. | 102 | 65 | 1,117 | 17.2 | 7 | 11.0 |
That’s the lay of the land heading into the offseason, which should translate into a big financial windful for Pierce. Brandon Aiyuk and DK Metcalf have gotten big contracts the last two years, but I think every NFL team right now would prefer to have Pierce.
Pierce has played well enough that I don’t think he’ll be hitting the open market. The franchise tag for wide receivers should be around $28 million, and I think Pierce has played his way into that conservation. If the Colts don’t want to pay him that amount, I imagine he’ll be getting it from some other team in a tag-and-trade deal. But I don’t think Pierce is going anywhere; he’s played too well. Over the past two years, he's caught the most 40-yard passes in the league.
—Ian Allan