Karen Guregian: The Patriots can’t afford to pass on Alec Pierce

Mike Vrabel believes the best NFL receivers rarely, if ever, hit free agency.

Looks like there could be an exception to the rule.

Alec Pierce appears to be headed to the open market.

With the Indianapolis Colts using a tag on quarterback Daniel Jones, Pierce could very well be available to all suitors come Tuesday.

Of course, the Colts could still work out a deal with their star receiver between now and the time the clock strikes 4 p.m. on Wednesday, when the doors to free agency officially open.

If that doesn’t happen?

It’s go-time for the Patriots. They should be on the phone working throughout the tampering period Monday and Tuesday to try and strike a deal.

Show him the money.

Granted, the Patriots aren’t going to embark on the same kind of free agent spending spree as last year, when they dished out $364.86 million in total contracts, with $200 million in total guarantees. That’s a fairly obvious assumption going in.

But, having been to the Super Bowl, having a star quarterback still on a rookie deal in need of weapons, this should be an exception.

Even if the Patriots don’t go all out in free agency as a whole, that doesn’t mean they can’t pursue a top player and put their chips all in.

If Pierce is available, that’s a bit of a surprise. It’s a gift. The Patriots should go to the mat for him.

The last two seasons, he led the league in yards per reception. He finished 2025 with a career-high 47 receptions and 1,003 yards with six touchdowns. He’s considered one of the best deep-ball receivers in the league, which makes him a dream target for Drake Maye.

He’s also 25. Top receivers his age don’t come around very often in free agency. It’s a rare opportunity to get a young, proven receiver without having to surrender in-house assets or draft capital.

Pierce might not be the caliber of all-world talents Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson. But he’s not too far behind. More important, he’s exactly what the doctor ordered for the Patriots offense.

Naturally, there will be competition for him. Buffalo, Kansas City and San Francisco are in the market for receiver help, just to name a few, and Pierce is the top name on the board if Indy can’t work out a deal. He is likely to command something in the $25-to-$30 million neighborhood.

If the Patriots truly want to improve, if they want to return to the Super Bowl, and close the deal, they need to give Maye more help.

It’s one of the critical areas they need to address. Pierce would be the perfect fit for Maye and the offense.

Let’s just say it makes more sense to extend on a deal for Pierce, than it does to surrender draft picks for A.J. Brown in a trade with Philadelphia - along with paying him top dollar.

Pierce is three years younger. And, considering Brown’s injury history, he’s a better investment.

The best scenario for the Patriots would be landing Pierce, and keeping Stefon Diggs. That would give Maye a dynamic inside-outside presence.

For that to happen, the Patriots would like Diggs to restructure, and have him on a more team-friendly deal. If not, if Diggs isn’t willing, that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t keep him.

Considering his output from last season (85 catches, 1,000-plus yards) his contract ($20.6 million this year, with a $26.5 million cap hit) isn’t crazy or a gross overpay. It’s more a question of whether the Patriots believe he’ll be as productive entering his age 33 season.

On paper, anyway, adding Pierce, and keeping Diggs along with the rest of the current cast would give Maye and the Patriots one of the better receiving units in the NFL.

If Diggs isn’t part of the equation, adding Pierce is almost a must. Subtracting without adding won’t work.

Pierce is a true X-receiver. Kayshon Boutte currently holds that role. His contract is up after next season. So either the Patriots would benefit from having both, or, Pierce would serve as insurance of Maye continuing to have an outside threat if Boutte doesn’t stick around.

With Maye being one of the best deep ball throwers in the league, a pairing with Pierce figures to be magic. Maybe not at the level of Tom Brady-Randy Moss, but special just the same.

Prior to the Super Bowl, Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner pointed to the deep ball as being Maye’s super power.

“There’s such an art form to throwing the deep ball. Being able to throw it firm enough, but soft enough with great arc and allowing that height and distance and arc on the football allows your receivers to track it and make catches,” Warner told MassLive last month. “I think (Drake) throws such a catchable ball. It’s effortless for him when he throws the football downfield. He’s got great touch and it always has great height on it.”

So give Maye more outside threats. Go get Pierce.

Bottom line: the Patriots need to make sure they’re getting the most out of their best asset - Maye.

They can’t do that with bargain basement weapons.

That’s why it’s go-time for landing Pierce. It’s a no-brainer, really.

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