Patriots Rumor Alec Pierce question

mgteich · Mar 6, 2026

One-If-By-Sea said:
Paying CA taxes is a better choice?

You truly don't understand that a young rich athlete just might prefer to live in LA or SF or MIA of ATL instead of Providence or Boston.

Ring 6 · Mar 6, 2026

mgteich said:
LAC and SF seem to be better choice for Pierce.

But he could want to come to the patriots.

Why would they be better for him?

One-If-By-Sea · Mar 7, 2026

mgteich said:
You truly don't understand that a young rich athlete just might prefer to live in LA or SF or MIA of ATL instead of Providence or Boston.

No-one wants to live in San Fran anymore. Ask Keion White how SF is.

Lots of guys like New England for their families. Look at Drake, he is not looking for Miami or LA.

imahobgoblin · Mar 7, 2026

Huckleberry1 said:
If Pierce gets on the phone with Harbaugh, then gets on the phone with Vrabel, how would you think this ends? The money is going to be the same, it comes down to who you want to play for. My money is on Vrabel.

Where is Harbaugh getting $30 million a year? He doesn't even have 1/2 that right now.

BTTA · Mar 7, 2026

Huckleberry1 said:
Where did you see that? Everything I'm seeing and hearing has him going to the Patriots.

Because that's how the algorithms are tuned in your particular media silo. All of us get the information that the internet filters think will make us click on it. That, plus the echo chamber effect; one person says something makes sense, then 12 people retweet it with "likely", then 1200 pick it up as "probable" and suddenly it looks like there are many independent sources with independent analysis that see smoke, when really just one guy identified it as a good fit.

Huckleberry1 · Mar 7, 2026

BTTA said:
Because that's how the algorithms are tuned in your particular media silo. All of us get the information that the internet filters think will make us click on it. That, plus the echo chamber effect; one person says something makes sense, then 12 people retweet it with "likely", then 1200 pick it up as "probable" and suddenly it looks like there are many independent sources with independent analysis that see smoke, when really just one guy identified it as a good fit.

I agree that's how social media works.c but I go to a pretty wide array of websites, so I get a pretty wide net of information. If anything I tend to tune out Boston sports media because the negativity pissed me off.

NFL Mystique · Mar 7, 2026

The Patriots don't have a legit #1 alpha WR on the roster right now. But they should also not overreact by giving Pierce WR1 money. Because he isn't a guy capable of being the MAN imo.

Ring 6 · Mar 7, 2026

NFL Mystique said:
The Patriots don't have a legit #1 alpha WR on the roster right now. But they should also not overreact by giving Pierce WR1 money. Because he isn't a guy capable of being the MAN imo.

Pierce had 1000 yards on 22 ypc with QBs who struggle to throw down the field. Maye is the best downfield thrower in the league.
Playing with Maye will increase his production at least 30% and will make him the focus of the defense opening up everyone else.
That’s a far more effective WR1 than a guy who runs a lot of short routes and gets targets and adds a bunch of hollow catches and yards.

TheRainMaker · Mar 7, 2026

NFL Mystique said:
The Patriots don't have a legit #1 alpha WR on the roster right now. But they should also not overreact by giving Pierce WR1 money. Because he isn't a guy capable of being the MAN imo.

Majority of the league doesn't have an "alpha WR". Anything more than $28M per year and I'd tap out.

JoeSixPat · Mar 7, 2026

stinkypete said:
Alec Pierce is seeming to be telegraphed to the Patriots much like Milton Williams was a year ago. If reporting on his priorities is to be believed, he is ours if we're willing to make a competitive enough bid.

I have a question about Pierce's production and fit for this offense. Pierce's career catch percentage is only 53%, and his career high is 56%. This seems concerningly low. How is this explained?

Pierce's drop percentage is low (1.2% in 2025, and 3.4% for his career), so it's not his hands.

Is this a natural function of his role in the Indy offense? His average depth of target is very high (18.9 yards in 2025, 16.7 career) so has he just been targeted on a disproportionate number of low probability throws? Were his QBs just missing him badly because they have largely sucked?

Does he frequently miss his routes? His college scouting reports indicated a limited route tree - something Chris Hogan recently sounded off on.

This information will likely decide whether he is signed. I can't imagine a team that runs McDaniels' offensive system is going to break the bank for a WR who isn't useful in the middle of the field. The offense is already somewhat deficient in this area, and there isn't really a role for another deep ball specialist.

Is there anyone here who has watched a lot of Indy tape (god knows I haven't) and can speak to his fit here?

My opinion is that as a deep ball specialist playing with mediocre QBs you are going to not have the best target to catch ratio

Playing with a QB like Maye who is ultra accurate and has a great deep ball arm can put this guy in Canton

I think he knows this given his comments about the QB and Team Culture being the most important thing to him

Given that he's never exceeded 50 catches that might help the Pats save some cap space as exceeding that and TD production wouldn't be looked at as "likely to be earned" but I'd expect a 50% increase in all of his numbers if he were getting Diggs' targets - though after year one they'd still hit the cap in what would still be a monster contract - some say $80 mil over 3 years with $55 mil guaranteed

But if they weren't going to extend Diggs to lower his cap Pierce is the guy we want. He still won't demand or require more targets than Diggs, but I expect he'll be much more productive while still having the offense spread the ball to keep Ds off balance.

bakes781 · Mar 7, 2026

One-If-By-Sea said:
No-one wants to live in San Fran anymore. Ask Keion White how SF is.

Lots of guys like New England for their families. Look at Drake, he is not looking for Miami or LA.

Drake doesnt exactly have a choice in the matter.

My thoughts on Pierce are he's young, tall and he doesnt seem to possess the typical diva receiver attitude that generally comes with that position so I am all in. I disagree with the OP that we don't have the WRs to take the short to intermediate routes. Diggs departure should give Pop Douglas back his role. Kyle Williams while a speedster does possess a great short area quickness to be used in the screen game. Bouttee is the only true deep threat and while he has made some amazing catches I don't know that he can be relied upon consistently.

Water Boy · Mar 7, 2026

I listened to EEI this morning and they are all in on the AJ Brown hype train and they write Pierce off as a jag.

They think there's been too much open admiration between Vrabel and Brown for it not to happen.

While Brown if healthy would bring an added dimension, that would have to outweigh what Pierce's down field prowess would mean for the offense as a whole plus the value we would get in the draft at key positions.

If Pierce is headed to LAC as speculated, I'm more open to the AJB option, but Pierce is my first choice.

Huckleberry1 · Mar 7, 2026

NFL Mystique said:
The Patriots don't have a legit #1 alpha WR on the roster right now. But they should also not overreact by giving Pierce WR1 money. Because he isn't a guy capable of being the MAN imo.

WR rooms aren't built by #1, #2 etc..., they are built with complimentary pieces, slot, boundary, deep....., with the goal being to exploit every part of the field, short/ underneath, wide/ outside the hashes, and deep. Pierce adds a deep threat to go with Kyle Williams and Boutte, and forces opposing defenses to respect the Patriots downfield, and compliments Maye's strength in throwing downfield perfectly.

Huckleberry1 · Mar 7, 2026

Water Boy said:
I listened to EEI this morning and they are all in on the AJ Brown hype train and they write Pierce off as a jag.

They think there's been too much open admiration between Vrabel and Brown for it not to happen.

While Brown if healthy would bring an added dimension, that would have to outweigh what Pierce's down field prowess would mean for the offense as a whole plus the value we would get in the draft at key positions.

If Pierce is headed to LAC as speculated, I'm more open to the AJB option, but Pierce is my first choice.

There's your answer. If Boston sports radio opposes signing Pierce then the Patriots should absolutely sign Alec Pierce. No one knows less about football than the ignorant assholes who spew their bile on Boston sports radio

Grogan14 · Mar 7, 2026

mgteich said:
You truly don't understand that a young rich athlete just might prefer to live in LA or SF or MIA of ATL instead of Providence or Boston.

1000% true. Big disadvantage for Foxboro/ New England

Ring 6 · Mar 7, 2026

Water Boy said:
I listened to EEI this morning and they are all in on the AJ Brown hype train and they write Pierce off as a jag.

They think there's been too much open admiration between Vrabel and Brown for it not to happen.

While Brown if healthy would bring an added dimension, that would have to outweigh what Pierce's down field prowess would mean for the offense as a whole plus the value we would get in the draft at key positions.

If Pierce is headed to LAC as speculated, I'm more open to the AJB option, but Pierce is my first choice.

What dimension does AJ Brown add?
Pierce is really the perfect fit for this team because his ability to get open down the field and Maye down field accuracy while force defenses to try and take that away and open up room for every other receiver.

UGAPatsfan · Mar 7, 2026

One-If-By-Sea said:
No-one wants to live in San Fran anymore. Ask Keion White how SF is.

Lots of guys like New England for their families. Look at Drake, he is not looking for Miami or LA.

This. The rest of his list is solid. I’d add Nashville, Atl (though they actually live and practice up near me in the suburbs an hour from Atlanta), TX, AZ, etc.

Years ago I worked in biotech a lot and SF was a nice spot along with Sunnyvale and Mountainview. Now?

SF is an absolute literal ****hole.

aluminum seats · Mar 7, 2026

I’d love to see the Pats get Pierce, reminds me of Welker, paying for a guy who’s about to take the next step.

bakes781 · Mar 7, 2026

Water Boy said:
I listened to EEI this morning and they are all in on the AJ Brown hype train and they write Pierce off as a jag.

They think there's been too much open admiration between Vrabel and Brown for it not to happen.

While Brown if healthy would bring an added dimension, that would have to outweigh what Pierce's down field prowess would mean for the offense as a whole plus the value we would get in the draft at key positions.

If Pierce is headed to LAC as speculated, I'm more open to the AJB option, but Pierce is my first choice.

The trade for AJ would likely have to happen this weekend from the sound of it. Unless we call their bluff and wait it out until draft day. I would rather not give up valuable draft picks. We already missed out on Crosby.

TinhWoodhead · Mar 7, 2026

One-If-By-Sea said:
No-one wants to live in San Fran anymore. Ask Keion White how SF is.

Lots of guys like New England for their families. Look at Drake, he is not looking for Miami or LA.

Not yet… altho i think he likes it

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