The pressure is already mounting on head coach Aaron Glenn in the New York Jets, and his primary plan to fix a broken Jets offense is reportedly about to crumble before it even begins. The Jets had the fewest receiving yards by a team last season, a problem Aaron Glenn hoped Alec Pierce would solve. Now, that solution may be too expensive.

“The Jets liked the idea of adding wide receiver Alec Pierce to their team at one point,’ The Athletic’s Zack Rosenblatt noted on March 8. “They didn’t once they saw what the price could be to sign him. Right now, the feeling is that Pierce could get close to $30 million a season. That’s too rich for the Jets’ appetite.”

Alec Pierce, a second-round pick from the 2022 Draft, played for the Indianapolis Colts for four seasons before hitting free agency this offseason. Oddly enough, the Colts are parting ways with him even after the 2025 season became his breakout year. It is a rare occasion when a young receiver in the mid-20s is hitting free agency after reaching over 1,000 receiving yards.

Playing 15 games last season, Pierce recorded 1,003 receiving yards, ranking in the top 20 among the wide receivers in the league. With a strong and career-best production, his price tag has gone up in the free agency market.

Pierce is expected to command close to $30 million per year, and that’s a number the Jets may struggle to justify right now. This roster still has too many holes. The front office could have around $75 million in cap space to work with. But handing nearly half of that to one wide receiver would tighten things up fast. And the bigger issue remains the same.

New York still doesn’t have a clear answer at quarterback. The defense also needs serious help. So while adding a star receiver might excite the fan base, it doesn’t move the needle enough to justify that kind of money, especially for a team that’s still far from true Super Bowl contention.

All in all, the Jets currently have approximately $74 million in salary cap space, and Pierce’s projected salary doesn’t seem financially feasible for them, taking a hit at Glenn’s goal of landing the Colts star. While the Jets may miss the opportunity to sign him, the New England Patriots appear to be leading the race.

The New England Patriots could be the hot favorite to land Alec Pierce

In his first season as the Patriots’ coach, Mike Vrabel led the franchise to an unprecedented height, making them the Super Bowl runner-up. With the young QB Drake Maye, their offense thrived, as he found reliable hands in receiver Stefon Diggs. Despite his impressive show last season, they are getting rid of the 32-year-old next season. MassLive’s Mark Daniel thinks Pierce would be a top choice for the Pats despite his high cost.

“The Patriots likely pivot to Alec Pierce,” noted Mark. “It’s rare to see a young 1,000-yard receiver hit free agency. It almost never happens anymore. Pierce will be costly, but his skillset as a deep ball receiver fits perfectly with Drake Maye.”

Vrabel needs a proven WR to fill the void left by Diggs, and Pierce could turn out to be the right choice. Diggs’ cap hit was $26.5 million for the 2026 season, so Pierce’s expected salary should be within their reach.

The six-time Super Bowl champions currently have a cap space of about $43.8 million. Even though it’s much less than the Jets, they don’t need a major roster overhaul, given they finished as the Super Bowl LX runner-up. As a result, bringing someone like the Colts star would enhance the already lethal offensive unit, while his age makes him a dependable option for years to come.