It was beyond clear that the Patriots needed to sign a top-tier wide receiver in free agency this offseason if they wanted to have a better shot at maintaining their success from the 2025 season and building upon it.
That linked them to some of the top names set to be available, most notably Alec Pierce, who was set to test out free agency for the first time in his career. He was the top option for the Patriots to add a young, explosive option to their receiving corps, and fans were ready to see them go all-in to ensure he suited up in the red, white, and blue this fall.
The problem is that Pierce didn't even make it to free agency because the Colts struck a new deal with him ahead of the legal tampering period, therefore not allowing New England to even speak to the receiver about coming to Foxboro.
It looked like something that would be a stain on this upcoming season, since they didn't sign any other receiver besides Romeo Doubs, who many view as a WR2 and not the player that Maye needed to upgrade the offense.
But now that A.J. Brown is on the team and hearing the latest update on Pierce, it's clear the Patriots avoided a massive disaster that could have derailed their offseason and 2026 plans.
The Colts suffer a massive blow with Alec Pierce's injury timeline
Big news dropped earlier this week when it was announced that Pierce underwent offseason ankle surgery and it requires a long recovery, which could force him to miss some time at the start of the season.
It's a significant hit to the Colts' plans right now and in the future, and is certainly something the Patriots could not have afforded to deal with had they signed Pierce instead.
#Colts WR Alec Pierce details his ankle surgery and 4- to 6-month recovery:
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) June 10, 2026
“I should be back, I think, like right before the season, or ready to go sometime during camp, whether that’s the beginning or the end …”
Indy signed Pierce to a four-year, $114 million deal in March. pic.twitter.com/Y5YYYkvhci
It immediately becomes even clearer that they didn't have the opportunity to discuss bringing him to Foxboro, and that ultimately led them to sign Doubs and trade for Brown.
They appear to be in a better spot offensively than they were back in March, and their upcoming season looks brighter than the Colts' does right now, and that's a major win for multiple reasons, Pierce notwithstanding.
And all the concerns about Brown not joining the team until early June have already been put to rest by Maye and McDaniels, so any worries about the veteran needing more time to acclimate to his new team are no longer.
That's a much better position to be in than holding out hope that Pierce will magically heal faster and rejoin practices much sooner than expected, that's for sure.
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