Alec Pierce is still working his way back for the Colts, and the timeline sounds like it’s not exactly around the corner.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that the Indianapolis wide receiver is making progress in his recovery, but he remains at least a few weeks away from getting back on the field. That said, Pierce is eligible for the Colts to open his 21-day practice window off injured reserve next week.
Pierce re-injured his heel late in the first quarter of the Week 2 Sunday Night matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, and Indianapolis later placed him on injured reserve. The early read on his return was never especially optimistic, either. The expectation was that Pierce would be out closer to midseason - at least six to eight weeks - rather than simply missing the four-game minimum required by IR.
There was one small note of encouragement earlier this week: Pierce was not seen wearing a cast on his re-injured left heel/ankle.
Before the injury, Pierce had already started the 2026 season as the Colts’ lead wideout. Through two games, he has 5 catches for 72 receiving yards.
His absence has left a real hole in Indianapolis’ passing game. The Colts have had trouble finding a true replacement for his downfield role, and the offense has lacked explosive plays. Jones’ yards per completion has fallen from 8.1 in 2025 to 5.8 in 2026, a number that ranks 28th among NFL quarterbacks this season.
Indianapolis also tried to patch the issue by bringing in veteran deep threat Darius Slayton, but that move never got off the ground. Slayton was released earlier in the week after spending about four weeks with the team and never appearing in a game for the Colts.
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