The Indianapolis Colts announced a roster change on Saturday, placing veteran wide receiver Alec Pierce on injured reserve and promoting fellow receiver Anthony Gould from the practice squad. The move comes after Pierce aggravated a heel injury during the team’s dramatic 33-30 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.
Injury details and impact
Pierce, 26, will miss a minimum of four games and is not eligible to return until the Week 7 contest against the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 25. The heel issue forced him out after he recorded just one catch for 11 yards in the Chiefs game. Earlier in the season, he had four receptions for 61 yards in the Week 1 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens.
Pierce’s recent performance and contract
Despite the setback, Pierce remains a key offensive weapon for Indianapolis. He led the NFL in yards per reception for the past two seasons, averaging 22.3 yards in 2024 and 21.3 yards last season, when he posted his first 1,000‑yard campaign. The Colts signed him to a four‑year, $114 million contract extension on March 9, reflecting his value to the team.
Since being drafted in the second round in 2022, Pierce has compiled 162 catches for 3,006 yards and 17 touchdowns over 66 career games, starting 56 of them.
Anthony Gould’s promotion
To fill the roster spot, Indianapolis elevated 25‑year‑old Anthony Gould. Gould saw action on Sunday, returning four kickoffs in the loss to Kansas City. His promotion gives him a chance to contribute on offense and special teams as the Colts look to rebound from a 0‑2 start.
Additional roster moves
In the same transaction, the Colts also promoted wide receiver Nick Westbrook‑Ikhine from the practice squad for the upcoming Sunday game against the visiting Houston Texans.
Looking ahead
The Colts will rely on their remaining receiving corps and the newly promoted players to spark the offense as they aim to improve their record. Fans will be watching closely to see how Gould and Westbrook‑Ikhine perform while Pierce works toward a return later in the month.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
