Could Alec Pierce Be the Big-Play Threat the Jets’ Offense Desperately Needs?
The 2025 season is officially in the books, and for the New York Jets, it couldn’t have ended soon enough. An anemic passing attack and a glaring lack of explosive plays left fans frustrated and the front office with a clear offseason mandate: fix the offense - fast.
General manager Darren Mougey has a full plate this spring, but one priority sits high above the rest: revamping a wide receiver room that simply didn’t get the job done last year. And there may be a potential game-changer hitting the open market - Alec Pierce.
The 6-foot-3, 211-pound wideout out of Indianapolis is coming off a breakout season that turned heads around the league. After being drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Pierce spent his early years in the shadow of Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs. But in 2025, he stepped into the spotlight - and delivered.
Pierce hauled in 47 receptions for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns last season, emerging as the Colts’ go-to deep threat. That stat line doesn’t just pop - it speaks to a player who’s figured out how to maximize his skill set.
He’s not a volume guy, but when he touches the ball, it matters. Over the past two seasons, he’s averaged a staggering 22.3 and 21.3 yards per catch.
That’s not just good - that’s elite-level vertical production.
And that’s exactly what the Jets need.
New York’s offense lacked a true field-stretcher in 2025, someone who could take the top off a defense and force safeties to backpedal. Garrett Wilson continues to be a star in his own right, but pairing him with a vertical threat like Pierce could open up the entire offense. It’s the kind of dynamic duo that could finally give the Jets the firepower they’ve been missing.
But here’s the catch - literally and financially.
Pierce is expected to be one of the top wide receivers available in free agency, assuming the Colts don’t hit him with the franchise tag. If they do, it’ll cost Indianapolis roughly $28 million to keep him for one more year.
That’s a steep price, especially for a team with other contract decisions looming. But if he does hit the open market, the bidding war could get intense.
The Cowboys are widely expected to tag George Pickens, which would make Pierce arguably the most coveted wideout on the board. And with multiple teams likely to be in the mix, the Jets would probably need to go north of $20 million per year to bring him to New York.
The good news? They can afford it.
The Jets enter the offseason with more than $83 million in cap space - one of the healthiest financial situations in the league. That gives them the flexibility to make a splash, and Pierce fits the mold of the kind of player who could change the trajectory of this offense.
He’s not just a deep threat. He’s a contested catch specialist, a sideline artist, and a guy who can flip the field in a single play. At just 25 years old, he’s entering his prime, and his best football may still be ahead of him.
For a team like the Jets, who are trying to maximize their current window and finally give their quarterback the weapons he needs, Alec Pierce isn’t just a luxury - he might be a necessity.
If the Colts let him walk, the Jets should be ready to pounce.