With the Indianapolis Colts using the transition tag on Daniel Jones, wide receiver Alec Pierce is, at the moment, set to hit free agency.
The Colts, of course, will be working diligently to sign Pierce to a long-term deal prior to Monday so that he doesn’t enter the open market. Ian Rapoport reported that the Colts have made a “big offer” to Pierce.
However, Pierce currently has the leverage, and from his perspective, in terms of maximizing his contract value, entering free agency where numerous teams will be interested could further increase his payday.
Rapoport added that it would be “hard to imagine” Pierce not entering free agency to see what his options are. Then on Wednesday, while appearing on ‘Up & Adams’ with Kay Adams, Pierce seemed to echo those sentiments.
“I love Indy,” Pierce said. “I’ve loved playing there. Great organization. Great people in the city. Just a ton of support. I know we haven’t been as good as we could be and I know we can be. But now, at this point, I’ve kind of earned the right to explore free agency. See what’s out there and make a decision that’s best for my career and my family.”
So what is Pierce looking for as he weighs his options heading into free agency?
“QB play and stability,” Pierce said when asked what’s important to him. “I think (the Colts are) on the way to figuring that out with Daniel (Jones) if they can get a long-term deal done.” “I’ve understood the battles that come with not having that stability.”
With the Colts not getting a deal done with Jones, which would have allowed them to tag Pierce, they are taking a riskier approach when it comes to retaining both players.
Although the Colts may have the best intentions of getting a deal done, once Pierce hits free agency, anything can happen. Finding a way to get a new deal worked out before Monday could be crucial, and it’s possible, with Jones being tagged, that Pierce’s price tag has just gone up.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts’ Alec Pierce weighs in on upcoming free agency
Reporting by Paul Bretl, Colts Wire / Colts Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
