INDIANAPOLIS – Alec Pierce took his game to another level in 2024.
He routinely took the top off defenses.
Pierce was just the fourth Colt with at least 35 receptions to average at least 20 yards per catch over the course of a season – an NFL-best 22.3 – and the first since Roger Carr in 1976.
But is there another dimension to his game? Is there still room for the Indianapolis Colts’ fourth-year wideout to grow? If so, in what area?
“All over the board,’’ position coach Reggie Wayne said without hesitation.
Pierce has been the Colts’ deep threat – 4.41 speed in the 40 – since they selected him in the second round of the 2022 draft. He routinely gets off the line, gets into his route and stresses the back end of defenses.
Cam Bynum has dealt with that threat firsthand. In week 10 last season, the Colts visited the Minnesota Vikings. Bynum and the Vikings secondary limited Pierce to 41 yards on three catches, but they always were on high alert.
“With guys like him who can take the top off a defense, you have to know where they are at all times,’’ said Bynum, who signed a four-year, $60 million free-agent deal with the Colts in March. “Even going against the Colts last season, he was a guy that we circled that (if) he’s on your side, you might want to get a little more depth because he has real good speed.
“Just having him be able to occupy the zone, that’s an asset for an offense. Whenever I’m lining up, I’m like, ‘OK, where’s 14? Where is the speed . . . my speed threat?’ If I feel him screaming down the field, I’ve got to be on top of that because he can outrun somebody.’’
Pierce’s third season was a matter of sizzling quality over quantity. His 37 receptions were tied-102nd in the league. But his 824 yards ranked 38th and his 22.3 per-catch average led the NFL and was the fattest since Philadelphia’s DeSean Jackson’s 22.5 in 2010.
Pierce joined Carr (a franchise-record 25.9 mark in 1976) and Jimmy Orr (25.6 in 1968 and 21.7 in ’66) as the only Colts to lead the NFL in yards per catch.
“Alec just had a great year,’’ Wayne said. “It’s coming in understanding your place.
“But when your number is called, let’s make sure we hit a home run, not just a base hit.’’
That was the case early and often last season.
Remember the opener against Houston? Pierce ran under an Anthony Richardson laser for a 60-yard touchdown in the first quarter, then added a 57-yard reception. He finished the season with seven 40-plus-yard receptions, second only to Ja’Marr Chase’s eight, and his 22.3 average trails only Carr in club history.
Since 2022, the Colts’ passing game has generated 25 plays of at least 40 yards. Pierce has accounted for 12. Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs and Kylen Granson are next with three each.
One last stat that drives home Pierce’s fit and value in a Shane Steichen offense that seeks explosive plays. Of his 110 career catches, 29 (26.3%) have gained at least 20 yards and produced 1,086 of his 1,931 yards (56.2%).
The challenge moving forward is adding another dimension to Pierce’s game without diminishing his obvious strength.
It’s been evident during the on-going organized team activities and mandatory minicamp open to the media that Steichen and coordinator Jim Bob Cooter are looking for ways to expand Pierce’s role in the offense. On several occasions, he’s hauled in passes over the middle of the field and ran away from the defender.
“Right now and into training camp, you’ve tried different things with him,’’ Steichen said. “I think he just keeps doing this.’’
Steichen moved his hand in an upward motion.
“Obviously, the deep threat’s there,’’ he added, “but I think he’s done a great job of transition in and out of breaks on certain routes that we’re working on.’’
Wayne has worked at massaging Pierce’s strengths while also constantly looking for ways to expand his repertoire. He noted Pierce has been aware he “needed to work on certain routes.’’
“Now, it’s like, ‘All right, let’s keep what you’re great at (and) let’s make sure we’re keeping that sharp, and the stuff we need to work on, let’s hammer in on it,’’’ Wayne said. “That’s what this time is for him, just run certain routes that he’s always struggled with in the past.
“If I’m Alec, my mission would be ‘We shouldn’t need to swap (alignment) to have Pitt run it. I can run it.’ For me, that would be my goal if I’m Alec. And he’s working on that.’’
Pierce’s motivation heading into year 4, which is a contract year, is “to continue expanding my game. Working to be more of a factor in all aspects – shorter and intermediate routes.
“I think I can do a lot more for the team in that stuff and just be more of a threat with the ball in my hands, too.’’
He’s already an elite “50-50’’ receiver. He’s adept at high-pointing the football in a crowd and using his strength to wrestle it away from the defender.
When it comes to improving his yards-after-the-catch threat on those shorter and intermediate routes, Pierce referred to the Madden video game operation for receivers.
“You have one option to catch the ball with the 1 button, and you secure the catch,’’ he said. “Then the other button, they sometimes drop it, but they really run through it. So, you catch a slant and it usually ends up being a big gain.
“I’m working on running through the catch and being aggressive, stab the ball out of the air, not like slowing down and stopping my feet.’’
About that contract
Pierce downplayed the fact he’s in the final year of a rookie contract that will pay him roughly $8.65 million over his first four seasons.
“I like to take a very day-to-day approach with things,’’ he said. “I don’t really think too far in advance.
“That’s why I’ve got agents, for stuff like that. I really just focus on the football stuff.’’
That’s the proper approach, but Pierce also has to realize a major payday awaits next offseason if he remains one of the NFL’s legitimate deep threats. It’s hard to gauge what he might command from the Colts or on the open market, but the top 21 wideouts in the league are making at least $20 million per season, according to overthecap.com.
The Colts retained Pittman in March 2024 with a three-year, $68 million contract that included $46 million in guarantees.
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.