Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce was activated from the physically unable to perform list Thursday as Indianapolis prepared to wrap up training camp.
Pierce, 26, had offseason surgery to address an ankle injury that didn’t respond to platelet-rich plasma injections.
His level of involvement in team workouts is expected to increase with the goal of playing in the season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 13.
Indianapolis elevated Pierce to the No. 1 wide receiver role in the offseason, signing him to a four-year, $114 million contract and trading Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Pierce had 47 receptions for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. He has averaged 18.7 yards per catch in four seasons since being selected in the second round of the 2022 draft, twice leading the NFL in yards per reception.
His return is a boost to the offense, which also operated without wide receiver Josh Downs for part of training camp.
There was good news for the Indianapolis defense, too, with cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr. returning to team workouts Wednesday. Ward, 30, has been nursing a back injury.
During training camp, Pierce was not entirely idle, doing conditioning and individual drills.
But as wide receivers coach Reggie Wayne conveyed earlier this month, the Colts stood to gain very little by pushing Pierce to return during training camp.
“We know what he means to our (WR) room. I just want him whenever he’s 100%,” Wayne said. “I don’t want him at 80, I don’t want him at 85.”
Colts general manager Chris Ballard said Pierce had the PRP injection in January due to lingering soreness in his left heel and ankle but still required surgery in March. He denied reports that Pierce had a second procedure.
