Colts make massive Alec Pierce move with Week 1 in mind

Questions about whether or not Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce will be available for the start of the regular season had hovered over the club ever since he landed on the physically unable to perform list after he underwent ankle surgery in March.

It now appears that Pierce may play in the Colts' Week 1 home game versus the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13. 

Colts fans finally get some good Alec Pierce news

As ESPN's Stephen Holder and others shared on Thursday, the Colts are activating Pierce off the physically unable to perform list. 

Holder noted that 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." Had Pierce gone under the knife immediately after Indianapolis' final game of the 2025 campaign, he presumably could have been good to go for Week 1.

Now, his status for the Baltimore game is still up in the air. 

Pierce and the Colts agreed to a four-year, $116M contract before the "legal tampering" portion of free agency got underway on March 9. That same month, the Colts officially traded wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

ESPN stats show that Pierce led the Colts last season with 1,003 receiving yards that he recorded on just 47 catches. Over 15 games, he tallied six receiving touchdowns. 

Individuals within the Colts now expect he'll bolster such numbers with Pittman no longer on the roster. 

Colts may still only have Alec Pierce Week 1 "hope" 

Nick Shook of the NFL's website mentioned that "the hope is that Pierce can get ready in time for Week 1 against the Ravens." Such a line would lead one to believe that the club isn't yet ready to clear the 26-year-old to play a few weeks down the road. 

While the Colts recently signed veteran Keenan Allen, their passing attack without Pierce isn't filled with a significant amount of depth. Thus, Indianapolis fans will hold their breaths and hope for a major Pierce-related update to come before Sept. 13.