Feb. 13, 2026, 7:00 a.m. ET

What is the Indianapolis Colts’ biggest roster decision this offseason?

Looking at the roster on paper, the answer to that question would be figuring out who the quarterback is going to be — although that doesn’t seem to be much of a question at all. It seems to be a near given that Daniel Jones will return.

So instead, PFF’s Bradley Locker went in a different direction and focused on free agent wide receiver Alec Pierce, specifically, “how high to bid” on his next contract.

“Pierce developed into a high-end receiver over his four years with the Colts, but he’ll now command a deal that could reach over $100 million on the market,” Locker wrote. “Indianapolis also has existing receiving options in Tyler Warren, Josh Downs and Michael Pittman Jr., all of whom eclipsed a 70.5 receiving grade last year. How far will Chris Ballard be willing to go to keep his free agent?

Pierce has earned himself a big payday after leading the NFL in yards per catch the last two years, along with eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career in 2025.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.

In addition to that, while known for his vertical presence, Pierce showcased his ability to win routes in a variety of ways and at different levels of the field as well this past year.

PFF is projecting that Pierce will earn a four-year deal worth $96 million. Spotrac is projecting that Pierce earns a four-year contract worth $80.99 million.

The Colts could use the franchise tag on Pierce to keep him from hitting free agency, which then extends the negotiating window for the two to work out a long-term deal. However, it sounds like it might be Jones who is tagged.

The good news for the Colts is that they do seem to be positioned well, salary-cap-wise, this offseason. GM Chris Ballard also seems to have retaining Pierce as one of his offseason priorities.

“From Day 1, from when we worked him out at the University of Cincinnati, we had a great belief in Alec Pierce,” Ballard said. “I think he’s been a good player every year. … I thought Reggie (Wayne) did a tremendous job helping him expand his game to all three levels. Alec’s a priority.”