With free agency just five days away, the New England Patriots are emerging as a suitor for Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce.
The Patriots made a notable change to their wide receiver room this week by informing Stefon Diggs he'll be released. Shortly after that move was announced, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that New England is expected to show interest in Pierce as soon as the legal tampering window opens up on Monday.
“Per sources, the Patriots have been in on the big names on the WR free-agent market next week and are believed to be prepared to spend big,” Schultz said. “Alec Pierce is among the names they’ve been eyeing. The trade market is also an option.”
Pierce led the NFL in yards per reception (21.3) this past season, hauling in 47 passes for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns.
© Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images.
Is Pierce the right fit for the Pats?
While there's no denying Pierce's productivity, former Patriots wideout Chris Hogan isn't a huge fan of paying him $30 million per season.
Hogan, who won two Super Bowl titles with the Patriots, isn't so sure Pierce can run the entire route tree for Josh McDaniels' offense.
"I'm looking at stuff where Alec Pierce is going after $30 million per year," Hogan said. "I’m not paying $30 million for someone to run go routes. If you're going to come in, you'll have to run multiple routes in this offseason. You have to get open against press [coverage], get open against man [coverage], and run slants and curls over the middle of the field."
That's a fair concern from Hogan, especially since he's very familiar with New England's offensive scheme.
On the other hand, Pierce has improved each and every season in the NFL. Maybe a change of scenery is what he needs in order to blossom into a complete wide receiver. And if not, he'd still be an excellent deep threat for Drake Maye.
