Patriots might need shot at high free-agent receiver available on the market

“He’s a way more full participant than folks give him credit score for.”

Pierce has led the NFL in yards per catch every of the final two years. AP Picture/Charlie Riedel

The Patriots have a number of avenues at their disposal with regards to upgrading their arsenal of pass-catching weapons for Drake Maye.

They might attempt to commerce for Eagles star wideout A.J. Brown — a longtime star who already has loads of ties to Mike Vrabel.

They might use a primary or second-round choose so as to add one other promising blue-chip expertise like Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion, Washington’s Denzel Boston, or Oregon tight finish Kenyon Sadiq to their depth chart.

New England may additionally make the most of a few of their cap house on a free-agent possibility, though potential targets like Inexperienced Bay’s Romeo Doubs may perform as extra of a WR2 than a real high possibility.

After all, the Patriots may additionally simply stand pat, maintain Stefon Diggs on his present contract, and run it again with the identical receiver grouping that thrived throughout Maye’s breakout second season in Foxborough.

However, another choice is likely to be accessible for New England — Colts wideout Alec Pierce.

Going into the offseason, it appeared as if Pierce was going to be a reputable candidate to get franchise tagged by Indianapolis — holding him off the free-agent market and on the Colts’ roster by means of a minimum of the 2026 season.

However, Indianapolis switched gears on Tuesday, selecting to use a transition tag on QB Daniel Jones. That transition tag secures the Colts the best of first refusal for Jones — permitting them to match any competing supply sheet he may signal with one other group in free company.

With the Colts tagging Jones, the door is now open for Pierce to hit free company subsequent week.

Pierce’s potential availability ought to elevate loads of eyebrows in New England, given his age, skillset, and big-play means.

The 25-year-old Pierce would be the high wideout possibility in free company if he goes to market, particularly coming off a season the place he reeled in 47 catches for 1,003 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Pierce can be a helpful goal for a QB who excels on the deep ball in Maye. Pierce led the NFL in yards per catch throughout each the 2024 (22.3) and 2025 (21.3) seasons with Indy.

“He averaged 21 yards a catch final 12 months,” ESPN NFL author Mina Kimes mentioned of Pierce final month. “Distinction between him and the quantity two participant, who was Christian Watson, was the identical because the distinction between Christian Watson and the quantity 26 participant. You simply can not within the NFL overestimate how a lot groups worth explosive gamers.”

“He’s not only a velocity burner, separator. He wins with measurement, too,” Kimes added. “A few of these catches are contested catches. He’s obtained good focus downfield. He’s a way more full participant than folks give him credit score for.”

After working alongside QBs like Jones, Anthony Richardson, Joe Flacco, and Philip Rivers in Indianapolis, the case will be made that Pierce has extra to present if paired with a reputable MVP candidate like Maye shifting ahead.

Maye was the conductor of one of the explosive offenses within the NFL this previous season, with the Patriots main all NFL groups throughout regular-season motion in explosive-play charge (8.1 p.c).

“I’m taking a look at groups like New England, Tennessee,” Kimes mentioned. “There’s so many groups the place, if you happen to obtained a big-armed quarterback, I really feel like he’s so interesting as a free agent.

A participant like Pierce — who could possibly be utilized in a wide range of methods in New England in the event that they wished to pair him with one other X receiver like Kayshon Boutte — would give the Patriots much more big-play capabilities.

However, the 6-foot-3 receiver gained’t come low cost. He may simply command $25-30 million per 12 months on a brand new deal this spring.

The Patriots may afford Pierce, on condition that they at present have $39.2 million in cap house (per OverTheCap). Nonetheless, New England wants as a lot spending energy as it may well, as a number of different areas of Boston’s roster should even be addressed this spring.

On high of that, New England might need to carve out a good portion of cap house shifting ahead if the group palms Christian Gonzalez a large contract extension.

If New England realistically needs to leap into the bidding warfare for Pierce, it could doubtless must restructure Diggs’ contract or decide to chop him.

By reducing Diggs — who’s due a $6 million bonus on March 13 — New England would save $16.3 million towards the cap at this stage of the offseason.

Pierce is likely to be an expensive addition. However, signing him would permit New England to seemingly improve its receiver corps without having to relinquish the draft capital that it could take to pry a participant like Brown out of Philadelphia.