Patriots have solid George Pickens backup plan for Drake Maye in free agency

With so much debate surrounding Stefon Diggs' future with the Patriots to kick off the offseason, there is a lot of discussion about which wide receivers they could bring in to either improve the current group or replace someone, with the leading name being Alec Pierce.

The 25-year-old is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career, and the Patriots are the leading team to sign him, other than the possibility that he returns to the Colts.

Most analysts and fans have their eyes set on George Pickens, who is also expected to experience his first free agency, but there's a good chance he is franchise tagged by the Cowboys instead.

Although that doesn't shut down the chance of the Patriots pulling off a blockbuster trade to get him in the door, they might be better served to shift their focus to a guy like Pierce. His deep threat ability pairs well with the kind of quarterback that Drake Maye is, and his age is a bonus, as he can be a player who can grow with Maye for the next several years.

Alec Pierce might be the perfect backup plan if George Pickens doesn't leave the Cowboys

Besides the inevitable big-name trade opportunities that are forever connected to the Patriots every offseason, like AJ Brown, the talk of the town this year is Pierce, and for good reason.

His explosive abilities have analysts pleading for the Patriots to bring him in to work with Maye, especially after the offensive downfall in the playoffs, and for the most part, they make good points about why he would be a good fit.

Conor Roche of Boston.com is one of the latest to make the argument, using Price's history of working with mediocre quarterbacks as proof that he can be more than what the Patriots need and more.

"Pierce’s ability to make big plays might also show some sign of untapped potential, especially when you consider the quarterback play he’s had in Indianapolis for the first four years of his career.

But with Daniel Jones having a career resurgence this year, Pierce crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the first time in his career in 2025. He had 47 receptions for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns."

His 2025 season was certainly impressive, and he immediately became a top receiver in the league because of it, which has catapulted him into the top names to pursue in free agency, which is why the Patriots remain the most connected to him.

The combination of Maye and Pierce would be electric to see, particularly because the receiver averaged 21+ yards per catch over the last two seasons, with his longest receptions topping 65+ yards, too.

Maye is incredible at stretching the field, and he didn't have the best opportunity to do that as much as fans may have liked this past season, particularly down the stretch. So giving him a player like Pierce ensures that will happen more often, adding another dynamic to the offense.

They'll certainly need that going into a season that they hope to replicate the kind of success they had in 2025.