January 1, Colts Star Wide Receiver Requests Trade Amid Roster Selloff

Wyatt’s Take

• Star wide receiver Josh Downs wants out as the Indianapolis Colts tear down their roster
• Team traded two longtime stars and fired its general manager in a week of total collapse
• Downs made it clear he’s open to moving on if the new direction doesn’t suit him

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has requested a trade, according to ESPN. The 25-year-old did not deny the report when speaking to reporters.

“I’m open to whatever. Whatever comes my way, comes my way and we go from there,” Downs said, according to ESPN.

Downs’ trade request comes amid the Colts’ roster overhaul, which included trading two of their franchise cornerstones, Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner, in separate deals Tuesday. The Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard last week, and after Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the team appears to be entering a rebuilding phase.

The Colts traded Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks for third- and fifth-round draft picks and sent Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers for a fourth-round pick. The picks are particularly valuable to Indianapolis because the team does not own its first-round selection in next year’s draft after trading it to the New York Jets for cornerback Sauce Gardner last year.

Downs has spent his entire four-year NFL career with the Colts after Indianapolis selected him in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of North Carolina.

In seven games this season, Downs has caught 26 passes for 307 yards. In 54 career games with the Colts, he has recorded 224 receptions for 2,447 yards and 11 touchdowns. He has also returned punts, averaging 9.4 yards per return during his career.

The trade deadline is Nov. 10, and Downs could be playing elsewhere by then if the Colts grant his reported request. If he remains with Indianapolis through Sunday, the Colts will face the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 p.m. ET in what could be his final game with the team.

Wyatt Matters

Hard-working Americans who build their lives around loyalty and commitment expect the same from the institutions they support. When teams sell off their best players and push out leaders who built the franchise, it sends a clear message that the old values of staying the course no longer matter.