One Colts player probably made a lot of money in Week 4 and he didn't even play a snap in the team's loss to the Rams

If it wasn't already, re-signing Alec Pierce should now be a top priority for the Colts

Without Pierce in the lineup, the Colts elevated Adonai Mitchell into the starting lineup. Throughout the day, the team missed Pierce's ability to be a staple in the deep game for QB Daniel Jones. Jones had his first two interceptions of the year on deep 50-50 ball like passes that he unfortunately wasn't able to target Pierce on in Week 4. One big moment that did happen, though, game on a 50-59 ball targeted at Mitchell, who made an acrobatic catch and run for what appeared to be a game-changing touchdown.

Instead, Mitchell lost control of the ball around the inch line and watched it bounce out of the back of the end zone for a touchback. Mitchell still has a lot of upside at the NFL level due to the abundance of skills he possesses. Week 4 made it clear, though, that he is not ready to be an every-week starter, and retaining Pierce beyond this season is an absolute must for Indianapolis.

NFL WR contracts to use as reference for Alec Pierce

• Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns: 3-year $52,500,000
• Cooper Kupp, Seattle Seahawks: 3-year $45,000,000
• Khalil Shakir, Buffalo Bills: 4-year, $53,058,000

A few contracts around the league come to mind as potential benchmarks for the type of extension Pierce could get. The high end of his market to me is that of Browns WR Jerry Jeudy. Jeudy signed a three-year, $52.5 million contract with the Browns in 2024, which runs through 2027. Before signing that contract, Pierce Jeudy had never had a 1,000-yard season, but showed signs of his best ball being in front of him. That sounds a lot like Pierce's situation to me, with him leading the Colts in receiving in 2024, despite having the third most receptions and targets, with 824 yards.

I think the low end of his market probably comes in close to Bills WR Khalil Shakir. Shakir landed a new deal this offseason after having the best year of his career in 2024 with 76 receptions, 821 yards, and four touchdowns. Fairly similar numbers to Pierce, though Pierce finished with more yards and touchdowns on significantly fewer receptions. Shakir's four-year, $53,058,000 seems like a fair starting point for negotiations. If I were the Colts, I'd offer a four-year, $ 54 million deal out of the gate and see what kind of response they get, though I'd be willing to pay more if necessary.

My prediction on Alec Pierce's extension: three-years, $50 million