Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner is not ready to let wide receiver Alec Pierce go. On Wednesday, he announced that he will explore his options during free agency for the upcoming season.

However, it looks like Gardner does not want Pierce to leave Indianapolis. On Wednesday, he shared a tweet joking about taking the extreme route to retain the wide receiver.

“Should I lock Alec Pierce in my basement and force him to sign the contract papers?” Garnder tweeted.

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Sauce Gardner began his journey with the New York Jets as a first-round pick in 2022. In November, he was traded to the Colts for wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and two first-round picks.

Despite being with the team for just a few months, the cornerback understands the importance of Pierce’s presence in the offense. The wide receiver has been the league’s leader in yards per catch in the past two seasons.

The Colts drafted Pierce with the 53rd overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft. In four seasons, he has recorded 2,934 yards on 157 receptions and 17 touchdowns. Last season, he tallied the most single-season receiving yards of his career. Despite the Colts missing the playoffs with an 8-9 campaign, Pierce recorded 1,003 yards and six touchdowns receiving with an average of 21.3 yards per reception.

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What did Alec Pierce say about his future with the Colts?

While speaking with Kay Adams on the “Up & Adams” show, Alec Pierce expressed his love and gratitude for the Colts and their fanbase. However, he also stated that he’s open to offers from other teams during free agency.

“At this point, it’s like, I love Indy,” Pierce said. “I’ve loved playing there. Great organization, great people in the city, just a ton of support. I know we haven’t been as good as we could have been and I know that we can be.

“But at this point, I’ve kinda earned the right to explore free agency and see what’s out there and just make a decision that’s best for my career and my family.”

On Tuesday, the Colts decided to use the franchise tag on quarterback Daniel Jones. He’s locked into a fully guaranteed, $37.8 milliion one-year deal in 2026. He joined the team last March and recorded 3,101 yards and 19 TDs passing.

However, Jones suffered a torn Achilles tendon, sidelining him for the last four games of the season. Will the quarterback get the opportunity to play alongside Pierce this upcoming season?