A big decision from the Colts’ offseason is being called a head-scratching move by an NFL analyst ahead of the 2026 season
A move the Colts feel is a win is being called one of the worst moves of the offseason by an NFL analyst at ESPN.
The Indianapolis Colts haven’t made a lot of eye-catching moves this offseason. The two that have dominated the headlines weren’t even out-of-house signings.
The team handed out two massive extensions this offseason to quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce. The Colts let everyone who would listen know they would do everything necessary to keep both players this offseason, and in the end, they closed both deals.
The Jones deal getting some criticism makes sense; he is coming off a season-ending injury, and the two-year $100 million is pretty daunting to look at. Shockingly, the team’s extension with Pierce has also drawn criticism, with ESPN listing it as one of the biggest head-scratching moves of the offseason.
Alec Pierce’s extension with the Colts labeled a head-scratching move by ESPN
“The Colts re-signing wide receiver Alec Pierce. I was stunned to see all the pre-free agency hype — and eventual four-year, $116 million deal — for Pierce. I wasn’t surprised because of his ability, but because of how little he was utilized in Indianapolis. Even in a breakout 2025 season, Pierce ranked 48th among receivers in target share (18%). In all four of his NFL seasons, he has finished no better than 42nd in targets, 45th in catches, 18th in yards, and 18th in touchdowns. The Colts not only made Pierce one of the highest-paid receivers, but they then traded Michael Pittman Jr., who has had 200 more catches than Pierce since 2022.” – ESPN’s Mike Clay
The Colts gave Pierce $28.5 million a year, making him the 11th-highest annually paid wide receiver in the NFL. For a player with just one 1,000-yard season under his belt, that may seem like a lot to the outside world, I get it. But I think anyone who watched the Colts’ pass game last year saw just how vital he was to the group.
The Colts didn’t have much of a choice in the matter at quarterback going forward, to be honest. Through the first eight weeks of the year, Jones and the team’s offense were on a next-level run. Putting together one of the best offenses that the NFL has seen in quite some time. Jonathan Taylor’s being on MVP watch certainly was a factor, but Pierce doesn’t get enough credit for the role he played in Jones’ resurgence.
The weakest part of Jones’ game, in my opinion, is his deep ball. He hardly ever hit guys down the field in stride, but he is able to put some air under it and let his guys make plays. And no one on the Colts made those plays at a higher rate than Pierce.
He has become the best deep-ball wide receiver in the NFL, and to me, anytime you have a player the best at such an important skill at any position, letting them walk out of your building for nothing is the worst thing you can do. The Colts may have paid more than some in the NFL space think was warranted, but I doubt Indy has any regrets and would do the extension and trade away Michael Pittman Jr. to make it possible again without hesitation.