The San Francisco 49ers will have roughly $41 million in cap space to spend this offseason, per Over the Cap. Although head coach Kyle Shanahan and his staff overcame injuries, there is still a talent shortage in some positions, such as wide receiver.

Jauan Jennings could walk as a free agent while the Niners are likely cutting ties with Brandon Aiyuk this offseason. Ricky Pearsall is young and talented, but he’s injury-prone. As a result, the 49ers need to revamp their wideout group.

One potential target in free agency is Indianapolis Colts wideout Alec Pierce. The Colts’ standout posted 47 catches for 1,003 yards and scored six touchdowns in 15 games during the 2025 season, per StatMuse.

Nonetheless, On SI’s Grant Cohn is warning the Niners to stay away from Pierce in free agency as he won’t fill the need of a No. 1 wideout.

“Unlike Jennings, Pierce is fast and young,” Cohn wrote in his article published on Feb. 16. “He’s only 25. Last season, he averaged 21.3 yards per catch. He’s one of the best deep threats in the NFL, and he’s going to cost roughly $20 million per season. And the 49ers shouldn’t give it to him.

“The 49ers need a No. 1 receiver, not an expensive No. 2. If they could get AJ Brown or Justin Jefferson, great. Pierce isn’t those guys. He averaged a career-high 3.1 catches per game last season. He’s limited.

“Instead of spending all that money on a complementary player who will spend most of his time running clear-out routes, the 49ers should invest that money in the trenches.”

49ers Insider Has Different Take on Alec Pierce

Meanwhile, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco believes that Pierce is an ideal target for the 49ers in free agency.

“The player that I would keep an eye on from the free‑agent market is scheduled to hit the market and probably will not be designated as a franchise player by his team, and that is Alec Pierce from the Indianapolis Colts,” Maiocco said in a YouTube video on Feb. 13. “When I look at Pierce, this is a guy who has good size — 6‑foot‑3 and 215 pounds.

“He’s very fast. He’s not a slot receiver, so he’d be playing on the outside. But the one thing that really separates him is just his ability to make big plays, and that is something that the San Francisco 49ers offense was severely lacking in 2025.”

What Would Alec Pierce Bring to the Niners

Furthermore, Maiocco highlighted key traits Pierce brings that would make him a valuable piece for the Niners in 2026, should the team beat out the competition and sign him this offseason.

“The ability to stretch the field, the ability to make big plays,” Maiocco added. “I also think that the quarterback situation with the Colts has kind of limited what Alec Pierce can do. In the last couple of years, the Colts’ quarterback situation was really bad, except for a few games last season when Daniel Jones was playing at a high level. Last year, Alec Pierce was targeted 84 times, catching only 47 of those.

“That’s not a great percentage, but I put more of that on the Colts’ offense and the quarterback than on Pierce. He still had 1,003 receiving yards and six touchdowns, and that 21.3 yards‑per‑reception average is the kind of offensive spark that the 49ers need.”