The legal tampering window opens on Monday, meaning every NFL team can finally speak with players they want to sign for the 2026 season. For the Patriots, wide receiver Alec Pierce is reportedly at the top of the list, and from most rumors, they're willing to go all-in to get the 25-year-old to New England.
Given that they are releasing Stefon Diggs after just one season, the assumption is that Mike Vrabel and Co. have a plan, and the easiest guess is to go after Pierce. He is considered the top receiver of this year's free agency class, so they'll have a lot of competition.
And now the latest update from NFL insider Josina Anderson suggests the Patriots might not be fully prepared for what a battle over Pierce might require, particularly the payday he is likely to get.
Josina Anderson hints that the Patriots are not fully prepared to pay what Alec Pierce will demand
According to Anderson on Sunday night, New England is still very much in the hunt for Pierce, but he is now projected to earn a salary over $30+ million a season, and the insider suggests that's not something Vrabel and Co. are all too interested in taking on.
Unfortunately for them, that's the going rate for a receiver of this caliber, and that is what it will take to get him, or any other presumed WR1, to Foxboro. So they either choose to pay Pierce that salary or are looking at paying another player something similar instead.
Considering they were willing to pay Brandon Aiyuk around that number just two years ago, and the recent rumors suggesting they're pursuing a trade for AJ Brown, it looks like Vrabel and Eliot Wolf aren't trying to pinch pennies this offseason.
However, they aren't historically known for pulling off signings or trades of this magnitude, so it leaves plenty of room for doubt that a deal for Pierce can be agreed to.
If they really want to prioritize the offense and get Drake Maye the best weapons possible, they're going to have to learn to be okay with paying this kind of money for the players they need. They're only going to become more expensive every year, so getting Pierce in at this price now will look cheap in a few years.
It's better to do it now than regret having not done it later.