Colts Wide Receiver Josh Downs Requests Trade After Major Roster Shake-Up

The Indianapolis Colts are undergoing a rapid structural shift, and their star wide receiver is asking to leave. Josh Downs has requested a trade, according to a report from ESPN.

Downs, 25, confirmed the likelihood of the move when speaking to reporters. "I’m open to whatever. Whatever comes my way, comes my way and we go from there," he said.

The request arrives during a period of upheaval for the franchise. The team traded two defensive mainstays on Tuesday. Quenton Nelson went to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for third- and fifth-round draft picks. DeForest Buckner was sent to the San Francisco 49ers for a fourth-round selection.

These draft assets are valuable to Indianapolis because the team does not hold its first-round pick in next year's draft. The Colts traded that selection to the New York Jets last year to acquire cornerback Sauce Gardner. The organization also fired general manager Chris Ballard last week, signaling a potential rebuilding phase after Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

Downs has spent his entire four-year NFL career with Indianapolis. The team selected him in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of North Carolina. In seven games this season, he has caught 26 passes for 307 yards. Over 54 career games, he has recorded 224 receptions for 2,447 yards and 11 touchdowns.

The trade deadline is November 10. If the Colts approve the request, Downs could be playing for a different team by that date. If he stays through Sunday, he will face the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 p.m. ET in what may be his final game in an Indianapolis uniform.

The wide receiver has also returned punts, averaging 9.4 yards per return during his career. His departure would mark another major change for a team that has already moved two cornerstone defenders and replaced its general manager in a short span.