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The Indianapolis Colts will have to adjust their offense, at least for the time being, after second-year wide receiver Josh Downs went down with an injury.
According to SI.com’s Jake Arthur, Downs suffered the injury during training camp practice on Wednesday, August 7, after a tackle by safety Nick Cross during 7-on-7 drills.
ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder reported that it appears to be an ankle injury. Arthur added that multiple teammates, including Anthony Richardson and Michael Pittman Jr., went into the medical tent to check on Downs.
Kevin Bowen, of Indianapolis’ 1075 The Fan, tweeted after the play that head coach Shane Steichen was “not happy with Nick Cross taking Josh Downs to the ground.” He noted that Downs “was hardly putting any weight on his leg.”
As of midday on August 7, there had been no update on the extent of the injury.
Josh Downs’ Promising Start to His NFL Career
For such a small wide receiver — he’s listed at 5-foot-9 and 171 pounds — Downs wasn’t expected to have a huge impact at the NFL level. So far, he’s proved skeptics wrong. In 2023, he played in all 17 games, catching 68 passes for 771 yards and 2 touchdowns.
This season was supposed to be a breakout year for Downs, who had been shining early on in training camp. If Downs’ injury is considered serious, it could be a major setback for him and the Colts offense.
Downs, a third-round pick in 2023 out of North Carolina, was a back-to-back first-team All-ACC selection for the Tar Heels with two straight seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards.
Downs was the No. 2 receiver on the Colts’ depth chart, behind Pittman.
In June, Colts Wire’s Paul Bretl wrote that the chemistry between Downs and quarterback Anthony Richardson was “undeniable.”
Who Will Step Up in Josh Downs’ Absence?
Without Downs, the Colts will be missing a key component of their offense. Specifically, they’ll be without their dynamic slot receiver.
Pittman will continue to be the primary target for the Colts on the outside. He’s coming off a career-best season with 109 catches for 1,152 yards and four touchdowns. However, it’s unlikely that the Colts will be able to ramp up Pittman’s targets even further with Downs potentially out for an extended period.
Expect a pair of rookies to be forced to step up in Downs’ absence. Former Texas Longhorns receiver AD Mitchell is expected to play on the outside, but his explosiveness and deep-ball tracking should make him an appealing option in the Colts offense.
Meanwhile, fellow rookie Anthony Gould could end up taking over some responsibilities in the slot. A fifth-round pick out of Oregon State, Gould has thrived in the slot with smooth acceleration and good pace to his routes. However, like Downs, Gould is a much smaller receiver at 5-foot-8 and 174 pounds.
It won’t be easy for Steichen to replace Downs’ production if he ends up having a long-term injury. Fortunately for the Colts, they still have about a month before the start of the regular season, so there’s still hope that Downs will be ready by Week 1.
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