Colts' Alec Pierce gets $20-22 million contract update from The Ringer

Alec Pierce has made himself a lot of money this season.

The Indianapolis Colts' incredibly gifted wide receiver has put together a big campaign, no matter who has been playing QB for Indy. And with him being a free agent at the end of the season, it's time to start thinking about what that new contract might look like.

The Ringer's Austin Gayle took a shot at projecting a lot of contracts in a new article this week. For Pierce, he expects the bidding to start in the $20-22 million range.

"Jakobi Meyers just signed an extension with the Jaguars this month at $20 million per year," Gayle writes. "Pierce’s asking price should start in the $20 million to $22 million range and should only go up from there."

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In Indy, Pierce has a comparison right on his own team in the form of Michael Pittman Jr.

"Pierce’s size-speed combination gives him natural field-stretching ability, but what separates him from other deep threats is his ball tracking and his strong, reliable hands at the catch point," Gayle writes. "He consistently attacks the ball with his hands away from his body, helping him come down with tough catches out of his frame and through contact. Even if he never develops into a three-level, high-volume pass catcher, Pierce’s value as a vertical threat should warrant a high price tag in free agency. His counterpart in Indy, Michael Pittman Jr., has nearly 100 fewer yards on 35 more catches than Pierce this season, and Pittman is making $23 million annually after signing a three-year extension with the Colts in 2024."

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Maybe the best example of Pierce's ability came in that Monday night game a couple weeks ago with Philip Rivers at quarterback.

Rivers knew he could count on Pierce to go get the football, so he just threw it out there and let Pierce work. It resulted in a pair of touchdowns.

It's not clear whether the Colts will shell out the money needed to get Pierce back, but someone is going to pay him handsomely.

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