The Colts are taking a major step toward getting Alec Pierce back in the mix, but they are not quite all the way there yet.
On Thursday, Indianapolis moved Pierce off the physically unable to perform list, a sign that his recovery from ankle surgery is moving in the right direction. That still does not guarantee he will be ready for Week 1, but it does put him in position to potentially suit up for the Colts’ home opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13.
The availability question has been hanging over the team ever since Pierce landed on PUP after undergoing surgery in March. According to ESPN’s Stephen Holder and others, Pierce and the Colts "collectively decided surgery was the best option to prevent him from playing through the consistent soreness he experienced last season" after "a platelet-rich plasma injection did not have the desired effect." Holder also noted that if Pierce had had the procedure right after Indianapolis’ final game of the 2025 campaign, he likely would have been ready for the start of the season.
For now, though, the door is only cracked open. Nick Shook of the NFL’s website said that "the hope is that Pierce can get ready in time for Week 1 against the Ravens." That wording leaves room for caution, and it suggests the Colts are not rushing to declare him fully cleared just yet.
Pierce’s return would matter plenty for an Indianapolis passing game that already looks different. He and the Colts agreed to a four-year, $116M contract before the "legal tampering" portion of free agency got underway on March 9, and later that month the team officially traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pierce was Indianapolis’ most productive receiver last season, finishing with 1,003 receiving yards on 47 catches and six touchdowns in 15 games. With Pittman gone, people around the Colts expect Pierce to pick up even more responsibility whenever he gets back on the field.
The Colts also added veteran Keenan Allen, but the group still doesn’t have much depth if Pierce is unavailable. That’s why Thursday’s move matters, even if the final answer on his Week 1 status is still waiting to be written.
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