The Indianapolis Colts are working the phones and making trades. There are still two weeks left until the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline, but Indy isn’t wasting any time.
They’ve clearly decided to sell, sitting at 2-5 and having already fired GM Chris Ballard. Quenton Nelson was shipped out on Tuesday to the Seattle Seahawks. Only hours later, DeForest Buckner was dealt to the San Francisco 49ers.
It’s feeling more and more like Josh Downs might be next.
While Downs is earlier in his career than either of those players, he also is on an expiring contract. He’s due to be a free agent at the end of the season, just like Nelson and Buckner were.
Given the added difficulty in assessing a potential next contract for a receiver who plays heavily out of the slot, it would make sense that Downs could be traded by the Colts to get some value now rather than seeing if there’s a contract to be signed in the offseason.
Indy also paid a lot of wide receiver money heading into this year when they gave Alec Pierce a big extension. At this point, Downs seems more likely than not to be a goner.
Josh Downs Trade Update
The Colts might have surprised some by jumping the gun and dealing Nelson and Buckner two weeks before the deadline, but it’s clear they didn’t want them to get hurt and ruin a potential deal.
That means that a Downs trade could be coming soon, although it’s not a given. As a younger player, the Colts may think a bit longer about what a future could still look like with Downs. But with no extension in place, it’s hard to guarantee that.
Downs and Grover Stewart (along with Keenan Allen, although a potential suspension complicates things) could be the next Colts traded:
Grover, Downs and Ward all still feel like possible trades for the Colts
With the Taylor possibility still out there
I think Grover or Downs seem like the most likely to be traded next
A lot of teams interested in Downs and what the value is there
— Destin Adams (@TheDestinAdams) October 27, 2026
Josh Downs Difference
Downs seems more likely to be an extension candidate in his new destination than Nelson or Buckner. Because he’s just finishing up his rookie contract, he probably has a lot more NFL career to go.
That could change the team that wants him from being an all-in contender right now, like the Seahawks and 49ers, to a team with a longer runway for the future — think a team with a young QB, like the Atlanta Falcons or Washington Commanders.
If Downs isn’t traded soon, there will surely be reports soon enough about which teams are actually interested. But Downs is a fascinating trade candidate for sure, in large part because of his youth relative to most players available this time of year.
Colts’ Josh Downs Trade Looms After Nelson, Buckner Deals