Alec Pierce just broke the bank in free agency, and he has Daniel Jones’ hardline negotiation tactics to thank.
And Pierce didn’t even have to leave the Colts to get paid.
In a class of available receivers described as underwhelming by one NFL executive, Pierce capitalized on being the top option by re-signing with Indianapolis on a four-year deal worth $116 million, according to reports.
Pierce reportedly would have earned more than $29 million per year if he had left the Colts, so call it a hometown discount.
The Patriots were expected to make a big push to poach Pierce, sources told The Post.
The Colts had hoped to re-sign or franchise tag Pierce, 25, last week to keep him off the open market.
But once free-agent negotiations stalled with Jones — who asked for $50 million per year when the Colts were offering around $33 million per year, according to SI.com — general manager Chris Ballard was forced to transition tag his quarterback (one year, $37.8 million) to keep him under team control.
Teams are permitted to use only one tag, which meant that Pierce was able to negotiate with other teams beginning Monday.
It didn’t take long for Pierce to find top receiver money. He has never had 50 catches in a season during his four-year career, but he has led the NFL in yards per catch in each of the last two seasons (22.3 and 21.3, respectively) and teams are willing to play for game-breaking speed and big plays.
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Losing Pierce could have haunted Jones and the Colts the way that Jones’ last big-contract ask haunted him and the Giants.Jones was seeking $48 million per year in March 2023, and the Giants negotiated a four-year, $160 million contract extension.
That extension meant franchise-tagging Saquon Barkley for one year and then losing him in free agency to the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles in 2024. Without Barkley, Jones’ flaws were highlighted and he was cut less than two years into his extension.
Jones is free to negotiate with other teams on the transition tag, but the Colts can match any contract tender. If they do not match, they receive no compensation for losing Jones.
When Monday began, there were eight receivers making at least $30 million per year, including trade candidates A.J. Brown (Eagles) and Brandon Aiyuk (49ers). The top of the market belongs to the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase ($40.25 million).
