Indianapolis Colts receiver Alec Pierce spent most of his Sundays last season essentially doing wind sprints to nowhere.
In 2023, Pierce ran 605 routes, per Pro Football Focus, eighth-most in the NFL, but saw just 65 targets, catching 32 passes for 514 yards with two touchdowns. Many times, Pierce would jet downfield only to see the ball go elsewhere.
Entering the 2024 season, Pierce is out to prove he can be more than a deep-threat and clear-out artist.
"I think there's a lot more to my game," Pierce said, . "I just want to have the chance to be able to showcase that."
Part of Pierce's lack of production almost certainly had to do with Gardner Minshew playing most games at quarterback in place of the bigger-armed Anthony Richardson. While Minshew is a solid game manager who can make the occasional big play, that's simply not his game.
Pierce acknowledged that he must prove to the coaching staff that he is more than a one-trick pony.
"It goes both ways for sure," Pierce said of the QB situation last year. "I've got to show it in practice and then [coaches] have got to trust me and allow me to get those reps, too."
The other part of the equation for Pierce is the presence of rookie Adonai Mitchell. Seemingly, since the moment the Colts handed in the card to select the Texas product in the second round, he's been penciled in above Pierce. With Michael Pittman and Josh Downs the top two targets, Pierce and Mitchell are slated to battle for the No. 3 role during training camp.
Pierce noted it's his job in camp to "prove" he can handle a larger workload.
"High tides raise all ships," Pierce said. "You're going to get better from your competition. So, the competitive spirit, that's what you've got to work on."
Regardless of who comes out on top, if Pierce improves in Year 3 and Mitchell is the type of playmaker the Colts brass believes he can be from the jump, the Indy offense should be much deeper and more dynamic than last season. The crux to it all is Richardson staying healthy.
