The New York Giants’ offense flashed its potential in the team’s 45–33 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17. Rookies Malik Nabers and Tyrone Tracy Jr. both crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the season in the win as they made big plays to propel the Giants to victory.
Nabers is proving to be one of the NFL’s best young wide receivers. He is a special talent with dynamic abilities. However, the Giants need to continue adding talent to their offense, and adding a solid No. 2 wide receiver on the boundary opposite Nabers could elevate the team’s ceiling significantly.
Could the Giants search the trade market for a wide receiver?
Shopping in the free-agent market can be costly. For a Giants team looking to rebuild after a disappointing season, spending big-time money on one of the top free-agent wide receivers might not be the wisest investment. A player like Tee Higgins would be an incredible addition, but at what cost? His deal will likely exceed the $30 million per season threshold — a marker that the Giants likely can’t afford to reach.
Instead, the Giants could search the trade market for their next upgrade at wide receiver. General manager Joe Schoen has demonstrated a propensity for making trades during his time in charge, making blockbuster additions in TE Darren Waller and EDGE Brian Burns. Perhaps in the 2025 offseason, if Schoen is still the Giants’ GM, he could make another trade, adding a quality No. 2 wide receiver to pair with Nabers.
Could the Giants target Colts WR Alec Pierce in a trade?
It is difficult to project who might be available for trade ahead of an upcoming offseason. However, one way to make such an educated guess is to look at impending free agents for the following offseason, in this case, the 2026 offseason. In 2026, one of the top projected free-agent wide receivers is Alec Pierce from the Indianapolis Colts.
Entering a contract year in 2025, Pierce could be an intriguing name for other teams to consider as a potential trade target. And the Colts could have reasons to feel like Pierce is a tradeable asset.
The Colts are currently paying WR1 Michael Pittman Jr. an average annual salary of $23 million through 2026. Meanwhile, they have Josh Downs opposite Pittman, who is also under contract through 2026. They also spent a second-round pick on Adonai Mitchell in the 2024 NFL Draft. Their wide receiver room is stacked with young talent, which could make Pierce an expendable asset this offseason. Rather than paying Pierce, the Colts could opt to trade him away, gaining a draft pick to address another position of need and offloading the burden of paying Pierce to another franchise.
Pierce put together an incredible audition for the Giants in Week 17
Despite the Colts’ loss, Pierce turned in an incredible performance in Week 17. The physical, 6-foot-3 wideout brought in six receptions for 122 yards and one incredible touchdown grab. He brought his season totals up to 35 receptions for a career-high 767 yards and six touchdowns. Pierce’s 21.9 yards per reception lead the NFL.
Trading for Pierce would be an exciting proposition for the Giants. Their current No. 2 wide receiver Darius Slayton is an impending free agent who is unlikely to re-sign with the team in the offseason. This will open up a major need for a WR2 in the Giants’ lineup. Adding a high-end talent such as Pierce could be an intriguing move to open things up in the offense for Nabers. He would cost the G-Men a draft pick, and then they would have to pay Pierce, however, at 24 years old, he would be a worthwhile addition in both the short and long-term.
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Pierce is a deadly deep threat that forces opposing defenses to play the deep ball. This opens things up in the middle of the field and underneath, where Nabers is proficient. Pierce is also adept at making contested catches, something the Giants’ current receiving corps outside of Nabers is lacking.
As the Giants prepare to find their next franchise quarterback this offseason, they need to make their offensive lineup as quarterback-friendly as possible. Stacking talent at wide receiver would accomplish that goal, giving the next rookie signal-caller a bevy of playmakers to target in the passing game.
