Which upcoming free agent should be a higher priority for the Colts to keep for the future: Alec Pierce or Nick Cross
If the Colts could only extend one of Alec Pierce or Nick Cross this offseason who should it be?
The Indianapolis Colts have exceeded almost every expectation placed on them this season. The team is tied for the fewest losses in the league with two and sits at 8-2 during their Week 11 bye. Multiple players have stepped up big for the team, but it seems notable how many players are having career years in their final year of their current contracts.
Because of this, the team will have some big decisions to make regarding who they will re-sign and who they have to let walk. The biggest debate amongst Colts fans over the past few weeks is whether WR Alec Pierce or safety Nick Cross should be the team’s higher priority. I decided to dive into the topic and share my thoughts on a very tough conversation.
If the Colts can only choose one, should they extend Alec Pierce or Nick Cross?
Nick Cross
Let’s start with Cross, whom the team drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. After a rocky start to his career, Cross has become a vital piece of the Colts’ defense. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo puts a lot of responsibility on his plate, and he’s having the best year of his career as a result.
If the Colts lost him this offseason, he would be a very hard player to replace because most rookies would struggle in a role this complicated. Just look at what happened with the Cincinnati Bengals after they didn’t retain Jessie Bates. Anarumo’s defense suffered some significant regression. However, the problem for the Colts is that they already have so much money locked up in the secondary.
After their trade for Sauce Gardner, the Colts are set to have the highest total cap hit at CB in the NFL for 2026 at just under $48 million. And at safety, Cam Bynum has the ninth-highest cap hit for 2026 at just over $15 million. In my opinion, Cross has set himself up to exceed 10 million a year on his next contract. This would likely have him inside the top 20 at the position in terms of cap hit for 2026. And only one team in the NFL right now has two safeties inside the top 20 cap hits for 2026, the Denver Broncos.
Alec Pierce
Pierce has become one of the most critical players on the Colts’ offense. He is undeniably the Colts’ best deep threat, but he has also developed into one of the best in the NFL. I honestly think it’s time we start calling him the best deep threat WR in the league. He leads the NFL in yards per reception this season with 21.1, and that’s after he led the NFL in the same stat in 2024 with 22.3 yards per reception.
What makes this even more impressive is that he doesn’t even have a top-tier deep ball thrower at QB right now. Daniel Jones has exceeded everyone’s expectations, but his deep ball leaves a lot to be desired, which makes Pierce even more important. Being able to generate explosive passing plays is a necessity in the NFL, and without Pierce, the team’s effectiveness on those plays would plummet.
There are reports that Pierce could net $20 million yearly on his next deal. The Colts already paying Michael Pittman Jr. probably leads some to think there’s no chance they’d also pay Pierce. My response to that, though, is that more teams are paying two WRs $20+ million a year than you’d think. Five teams in the league currently have two WRs making at least 20 million a year. You can also add two other teams to the list if we set the number at $17+ million. WR has become one of the most important positions in the NFL, and more and more teams are willing to invest the necessary resources to keep their top players at the position.
My Choice: Alec Pierce
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