Colts wideout Alec Pierce is close to making his return to the practice field

WESTFIELD, IN - AUGUST 20: Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (14) watches a drill during the Indianapolis Colts and Atlanta Falcons joint training camp practice on August 20, 2026 at the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield, IN. (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

According to head coach Shane Steichen, Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce is expected to return to the practice field this week—if all goes according to plan (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder):

Good news: Colts WR Alec Pierce (ankle) is expected to return to practice this week if all goes to plan, according to coach Shane Steichen.

Relatedly, cornerback Charvarius Ward (back) will practice today.

— Stephen Holder (@HolderStephen) August 25, 2026

Recovering from minor ankle/heel clean-up surgery earlier this offseason, the Colts lucratively re-signed lead wideout has remained on PUP throughout all of training camp and preseason to-date, unable to participate in organized on-the-field activities. There was initially a four-to-six month timetable of recovery for Pierce’s injury after he underwent minor surgery in late March of this offseason.

While Pierce won’t be participating in the Colts preseason home finale this weekend by any means—as he will still have to ramp up his conditioning and see how his ankle/heel physically responds, his return to the practice field makes a still hopeful target date of the Colts regular season home opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, September 13th potentially in play—which was the team’s expectation all along.

His return will be a big boost to a Colts receiving corps that otherwise lacks a bona fide WR1, even with the late training camp veteran addition of Keenan Allen. Pierce provides an elite deep threat, with the ability to separate vertically, high-point the football, and make acrobatic, contested catches—routinely winning ‘50-50’ balls.

The Colts don’t have any other wide receiver on their roster like him, and to be fair, not many NFL teams do. He’s expected to be featured much more collectively within their passing offense too this season, having only continued to improve his route tree since entering the league back in 2022.

How long it will take for him to fully regain his prior physical form without any training camp, veteran minicamp, and organized team activities earlier in the offseason remains to be seen.

Still, it’s a positive injury update for the Colts and Pierce going forward with the regular season rapidly approaching.