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By Bryan Colbert Jr.
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The Indianapolis Colts are making moves in their wide receiver room after losing one of their biggest offensive weapons for at least the next several weeks.
According to a tweet by Ian Rapoport, Indianapolis officially placed wide receiver Alec Pierce on injured reserve Saturday because of a heel injury and elevated wide receiver Anthony Gould to their active roster. The Colts also elevated veteran wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine from the practice squad ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Houston Texans.
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The moves give Indianapolis additional depth at a position that suddenly desperately needs it.
Pierce aggravated his surgically repaired left heel during the Colts’ 33-30 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2. The previous injury forced Pierce to miss a significant amount of time before returning to the field ahead of the regular season, which makes this news particularly concerning for Colts fans.
By placing Pierce on injured reserve, Indianapolis will be without the 26-year-old for a minimum of four-games.
His absence means it’s time for the next man up, creating an opportunity for Gould and the rest of the Colts’ receivers.
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Gould is already familiar with Indianapolis after the organization selected him in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Oregon State. The 5-foot-8, 174-pound receiver has appeared in 20 games during his NFL career and has primarily made his impact on special teams.
Gould has recorded just three receptions for 29 yards as a receiver, but his speed has been an asset in the return game. He has accumulated 955 yards on 36 career kickoff returns and another 226 yards on 23 punt returns.
He was also elevated from the practice squad for Indianapolis’ Week 2 matchup against Kansas City, returning four kickoffs for 102 yards.
The 7-year veteran, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, is coming off of a one year stint with the Miami Dolphins. He caught just 11 passes for 89 yards in the 2025 season, but had 32 catches for 497 yards and 9 touchdowns the previous season with the Tennessee Titans. Scoring three or more touchdowns in six NFL seasons leaves some optimism for production from the veteran wide receiver, but his 2025 numbers say otherwise.
To be fair, replacing Pierce’s production is a tall task for any receiver.
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Pierce developed into one of the NFL’s most dangerous downfield threats over the past two seasons. He led the league in yards per reception in both 2024 and 2025, averaging 22.3 yards per catch in 2024 and 21.3 last season. Pierce also recorded the first 1,000-yard season of his career in 2025, finishing with 47 receptions for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns.
Pierce leveraged his production into a four-year, $114 million contract extension with Indianapolis in March.
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The Colts had already added veteran receiver Darius Slayton earlier this week, giving quarterback Daniel Jones a familiar target while the team deals with Pierce’s absence. Slayton spent his first seven NFL seasons with the New York Giants and played alongside Jones for six of them.
During their time together in New York, Slayton caught 200 passes for 2,904 yards and 12 touchdowns in 64 games with Jones. That familiarity could help Slayton find a role quickly in Indianapolis.
The Colts still have Josh Downs and veteran Keenan Allen among their receiving options, while Gould and Westbrook-Ikhine now get another chance to establish themselves on an active roster.
Pierce’s placement on injured reserve guarantees that Indianapolis will have to navigate at least the next month without its premier deep threat. There is currently no firm timetable for his return, although the Colts are hoping rehabilitation will allow Pierce to return later this season without another surgery.
Until then, the opportunities in Indianapolis’ receiving corps are officially up for grabs.
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