Jan. 9, 2026, 7:19 a.m. ET<\/p>\n
Indianapolis Colts’<\/a> wide receiver Alec Pierce is set to be a free agent this upcoming offseason.<\/p>\n During GM Chris Ballard’s end-of-season press conference on Thursday, he was asked about Pierce’s pending free agency.<\/p>\n “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.”<\/p>\n Pierce has earned himself a good-sized payday this offseason, but keeping him in Indianapolis has to be at the top of the to-do list for Ballard.<\/p>\n For the second year in a row, Pierce led the NFL in yards per catch, and for the first time in his career, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark.<\/p>\n Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a><\/p>\n However, while Pierce’s big play abilities garner the attention, as Ballard mentions, he’s done an excellent job of expanding his game, allowing him to better attack each level of the field. And with that, his role within the Colts<\/a>‘ offense has grown.<\/p>\n From a salary cap standpoint<\/a>, Ballard believes that the Colts will “be in good shape”<\/a> this offseason.<\/p>\n