The Indianapolis Colts possess several talented wide receivers who can be big-impact players for the offense. However, one wide receiver in particular has continually been overshadowed. Third-year starting outside receiver Alec Pierce has had a slow start to his NFL career, but the hope is that Anthony Richardson can help turn things around for him.
Pierce was selected in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft and was the Colts first pick in that draft. Coming from the University of Cincinnati, he put up stellar numbers that solidified himself as an explosive outside receiver in college. Unfortunately, that has not translated to the NFL yet. However, there is a good reason why that is and there is a good reason why 2024 could be the year Pierce bounces back.
Anthony Richardson Can Be the Key to Alec Pierce Having a Bounce Back Season
Pierce Has Had Sub-Par Quarterback Play In His First Two Years
One of the reasons why Pierce has had a slow start to his NFL career is because of the quarterbacks he’s had to play with. In his rookie year, the Colts signed Matt Ryan to a two-year deal from the Atlanta Falcons. Unfortunately, that season would be one of the most disappointing offensive performances in Colts recent history. Matt Ryan got benched, and the Colts began a quarterback rotation cycle between Sam Ehlinger and Nick Foles.
Throughout all of that adversary, Pierce did manage almost 600 yards in his rookie year. He also had two touchdowns, 28 first downs, and a catch percentage of 52.6%. With his 6-3 potential and promising rookie numbers, the hope was that he would build off of his rookie year and make a splash in his second year. Unfortunately, that did not happen.
In Pierce’s second season, Gardner Minshew ended up being the starting quarterback. In this season, Pierce’s numbers took a dip in almost every category. That being said, though, he did display explosive capabilities for being a deep threat. Unfortunately, Minshew is a quarterback who likes to get the ball out quickly. This, in turn, makes it so that getting the ball down the field is very tough. Thus, Alec Pierce suffered the consequences of that.
Alec Pierce’s Outlook With a Healthy Anthony Richardson
In 2023, Pierce showcased that he can be a deep threat. His average target distance was 14.9 yards, which ranked ninth. His yards per reception was 16.1 yards which ranked 11th. However, he only had 19 deep targets, and this speaks to the inefficient quarterback play.
Anthony Richardson, however, is the type of quarterback who can exploit Alec Pierce’s deep-threat abilities. Unlike Matt Ryan or Gardner Minshew, Richardson is not afraid to air the ball out. In his four NFL starts, he had 84 pass attempts and 10 of them were deep balls. He also had a catchable pass rate of 72.6% and a 40% catchable pass rate for deep balls.
Even this offseason, it is evident that Richardson has a cannon for an arm. Teammate Josh Downs stated that, “He flicks his wrist and the ball goes 60 yards”. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen also sang the praises of Richardson’s ability to throw it deep. In an interview, Allen stated, “Anthony Richardson might have the biggest arm in the NFL.” Although Richardson’s long-term health is in question, there is no question about his talent. Alec Pierce is primed for a bounce-back season with Richardson as his quarterback.
