NFL insider shares a major update on where things stand for the Colts with top free agents Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce

ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler shared big updates about the status of the Colts’ top in-house free agents, Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce

Destin Adams — NFL News Writer
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Colts WR Alec Pierce
Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Indianapolis Colts will be an interesting team to watch this offseason as they look to make the necessary improvements on the defensive side of the ball. Before they can move all of their attention there, though, they must get deals for top in-house free agents Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce across the finish line.

During the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, the status of both players was the most popular conversation involving the team, with a potential Anthony Richardson trade coming in second. The media side of the combine has now come to an end, and as a result, multiple insiders around the league are sharing their annual “what I heard at the combine” notebooks.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler released his alongside Dan Graziano on Sunday, and it included tons of info from around the NFL. When it comes to the Colts, they had pretty major updates to share on where things stand with the team, Pierce, and Jones.

The Colts have made their plan with Alec Pierce clear to him and his team

“Whether Indianapolis uses the franchise or transition tag on quarterback Daniel Jones or wide receiver Alec Pierce was a front-of-mind topic at the combine. The team has made it clear to Pierce that he will be a Colt, either through a tag or a long-term deal, before the new league year. The Colts have work to do to make that happen, but that is the plan.” – ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler

This info seems to be coming directly from Pierce’s camp to Fowler. The Colts taking the step to make that type of statement to Pierce’s representation is a big deal. To me, this solidifies the only way he hits the open market is on the non-exclusive tag, and if that’s the case, the Colts would have the chance to match any offer sheet or receive two first-round picks in exchange for their emerging star wide receiver.

Letting him hit the open market without a tag always seemed unlikely, especially after the Dallas Cowboys elected to tag George Pickens, which would have made Pierce the top WR on the open market. Now this directs everyone’s attention to Jones, as the Colts would risk upsetting Pierce if they don’t retain the QB he publicly said he wants to play with in 2026.

The Colts’ plan for Daniel Jones also seems clear, despite the media circus following the situation

“But while Pierce seems like a logical tag candidate, multiple people connected to the situation believe Jones is a prime candidate for it. Pierce has a good relationship with Jones. If the team tags Pierce but doesn’t reach a deal with Jones, for example, that could be an issue for Pierce. Conversely, tagging Jones ensures he will be there in 2026, a move that would appeal to Pierce.” – ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler

As above, this information seems to be coming clearly from the players’ camp, not the Colts. I would be shocked to see the Colts pivot from using the tag on Pierce after they’ve reportedly told his team that it’s their plan if a long-term deal can’t be agreed to. So hearing that Fowler believes Jones is still a candidate for it seems a bit far-fetched to me.

This all seems to be a ploy by Jones’ representation to get as much as they can out of this deal, which is good on them for doing so. Their client, pre-injury, was set to land a massive payday, probably in the $40 million-plus annually range. And there’s always the chance that this is his last major contract in the NFL. But the fact that they feel the need to play these games mid-negotiations tells me the Colts are also protecting themselves after his injury.

The logic here, though, leads me to believe this ends with an extension for Jones to remain with the Colts. The Colts don’t want to start over at QB again, and Jones doesn’t want to start over elsewhere on top of working to recover from a torn Achilles. He was also always going to have fewer suitors than Pierce on the open market, so using the tag on him would be foolish business on Indianapolis’ part.

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