The Miami Dolphins are not going to sleepwalk through free agency, but they are also not likely to be big movers either. For fans, that's not a bad thing. Years of overspending have gotten the Dolphins nowhere. Our enjoyment will come from watching the rest of the AFC East lose out.
The New England Patriots need wide receiver help. They tried to obtain A.J. Brown from the Eagles for a first-round pick and more. The Eagles said no. They were the team to beat in the race for Alec Pierce. A free agent-to-be WR leaving the Colts. All they had to do was get to 12:00 noon on Monday.
The AFC East is going to be interesting this offseason. Minkah Fitzpatrick was dealt to the Jets in a rare intra-division trade. The Bills are expected to make moves, and the Patriots are still trying to find a WR. Alec Pierce won't be their answer, as he has re-signed with the Colts.
Indy lands its top target: Free-agent WR Alec Pierce is returning to the Colts with a four-year, $116 million deal, per @PatMcAfeeShow. pic.twitter.com/TZHic7iw9t
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2026
Miami Dolphins fans rejoice after Patriots lose out on Alec Pierce
No one in Miami cares how much Pierce made off the Colts. They are rebuilding. Some believe that Pierce is overrated; this extension says otherwise. What it does mean, conclusively, is that the Patriots' WR troubles will continue.
The Patriots have some of the most cap space available of any team in the league. They are coming off a Super Bowl run, and yet, Pierce opts to stay with the Colts instead of testing the FA waters that could have landed him in the AFC East.
The Dolphins, on the other hand, are in rebuild mode. Miami isn't expected to pursue many free agents at the start of the market opening. With little to spend, the focus will be on calculated moves that help them rebuild the organization's interior with new attitudes and culture.
Miami has gone the route New England may try to take this offseason, and it rarely works. It didn't for Chris Grier. In his nine seasons as GM, Grier spent a lot of cap room and draft capital trying to build a roster from the outside.
One name to keep an eye on, however, is Tyreek Hill. Hill is still rehabbing from his 2025 knee injury, but the Patriots could look in his direction should they not be able to land a top free agent who will help their offense.