An ESPN analyst identified the New England Patriots as a team that could benefit from pursuing one of free agency's most intriguing wide receivers.
Mina Kimes anticipated a heated market for Alec Pierce this offseason. The "NFL Live" pundit noted his vast big-play upside after turning 47 catches into 1,003 yards and six touchdowns for the Indianapolis Colts last season.
"He averaged 21 yards a catch last year," Kimes said of Pierce on her podcast. "Difference between him and the number two player, who was Christian Watson, was the same as the difference between Christian Watson and the number 26 player. You just cannot in the NFL overestimate how much teams value explosive players."
However, Kimes added that Pierce isn't a one-dimensional talent who can only make deep plays by outrunning a defender.
"He's not just a speed burner, separator. He wins with size, too," Kimes said. "Some of these catches are contested catches. He's got good concentration downfield. He is a much more complete player than people give him credit for."
Alec Pierce is one of the most intriguing names in free agency.
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) February 18, 2026
Quite a few teams could use him…like New England 👀 pic.twitter.com/CJpH1eGYQm
Pierce is nevertheless a prolific downfield option, and Drake Maye feasted on deep throws throughout a breakout second season. The Patriots could pursue a top-shelf wide receiver as a missing piece to their offense, and Kimes believes they should have interest in Pierce.
"I'm looking at teams like New England, Tennessee," Kimes said. "There's so many teams where, if you got a big-armed quarterback, I feel like he's so appealing as a free agent.
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