Colts Receiver Josh Downs Requests Trade as Team Reshapes Roster

Indianapolis Colts receiver Josh Downs has requested a trade, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Downs is in the final year of his rookie contract and is in his fourth NFL season.

According to the sources, several teams have shown interest in acquiring Downs. The request came because no deal has materialized even though the Colts are clearly in a rebuilding mode.

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Downs was asked about his future after the team traded guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner a day earlier. "I'm open to whatever. Whatever comes my way, come my way and we go from there," he said. He added that his focus is on the present: "I'm here right now. I'm where my feet are." With Jacksonville on the schedule this weekend, he said he is part of the game plan and must be ready.

The situation around star running back Jonathan Taylor is less settled. ESPN sources say multiple teams have expressed interest in him. Coach Shane Steichen, however, said Taylor has not asked to be moved. When reporters asked whether Taylor had requested a trade, Steichen answered simply, "no."

"Those are hypothetical things right now," Steichen said. "I know there's stuff floating around out there, but JT's on our football team."

Downs, 25, has had a difficult season. He has 26 catches for 307 yards and no touchdowns. Defenses have paid him extra attention with top wideout Alec Pierce absent, and quarterback Daniel Jones has been inconsistent. Because the Colts lack other strong receiving threats, Downs frequently sees a second defender near him. His catch rate of 56.5% of targets is a career low.

The Colts, now 2-5, traded Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2027 fourth-round pick. Nelson went to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Steichen was asked whether either player had requested a move and said he would keep that information "private."

Steichen urged his players to stay focused through the turbulence. "Anytime you lose guys like that, it hurts," he said. "But that's the NFL and that's the hard part about it. That's what we signed up for."

The deals follow the Colts' firing of longtime general manager Chris Ballard a week earlier. With the trade deadline set for Nov. 10, the team is likely to operate under a cloud of uncertainty until then.