The Indianapolis Colts have relied heavily on Josh Downs so far this season.
In a wide receiver group depleted by injuries, particularly to Alec Pierce, Downs has had to be the most reliable pass catcher in Indy, doing most of his work out of the slot.
That doesn’t mean he’ll spend the entire year with the Colts, though. Downs has turned into a trade candidate.
With the Colts at 2-5, the sell-off has begun. They traded away both Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner on Tuesday. The expectation is that there’ll be more before the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline.
Downs fits the same bill as Nelson and Buckner. He’s on an expiring contract, meaning he’ll be a free agent at the end of the season.
Rather than lose a player like that for nothing in free agency during a year when the playoffs seem far-fetched, the Colts could get some value in return for Downs by trading him.
That brings us to the latest update, which emerged Wednesday morning in a new ESPN article by Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen. They share the chances of Downs getting traded as well as some of the latest intel.
Josh Downs Trade Chances
The ESPN duo sets Downs’ chances of getting traded at 45%.
That’s higher than they listed for star RB Jonathan Taylor, who isn’t on an expiring contract and was given a 30% chance of being moved by ESPN.
Based on the other reports in recent days about Downs, the 45% feels low. If an Indy sell-off of expiring contracts is happening, it’s tough to see them keeping Downs unless they can line up a long-term extension in the meantime.
Josh Downs Landing Spots
The ESPN article lists two places that Downs could end up: the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
“The Colts opened the floodgates with the Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner deals, and Downs — the team’s best receiver with Alec Pierce out — has garnered interest from multiple teams,” Fowler writes. “He’s a 2027 free agent and would probably welcome the chance to play with someone like Patrick Mahomes if the Chiefs were to come calling, due to the Colts’ sagging passing game.”
The Steelers ironically could use Downs in part because former Colts wideout Michael Pittman Jr. was ineffective early and is now out with an injury.
“Downs has the sudden footwork and coverage recognition to uncover between the numbers,” Bowen writes. “In four pro seasons with the Colts, he has 224 receptions and 11 touchdowns. He fits a team looking for a high-percentage target to win underneath and move the chains.”
Maybe the Colts wait until closer to the deadline with Downs to see if they can win either of their two games remaining before Nov. 10 — but Downs is definitely going to be on the rumor mill until then.
Colts’ Josh Downs Chances of Being Traded Revealed by ESPN