The Colts have started tearing down the roster, and Josh Downs is the latest name to move out.
Indianapolis sent the slot receiver to the Kansas City Chiefs, along with a 2027 seventh-round pick, in exchange for a 2027 fourth-rounder and fifth-rounder, according to Tom Pelissero. For a team that’s clearly heading into a reset, it’s not a splashy return - but it is better than losing him for nothing in free agency.
Downs had already made himself part of the conversation. He didn’t hide from the trade buzz and said he was open to anything, and now he gets the change of scenery he seemed willing to accept.
The move also fits the direction Indianapolis has been taking. Chris Ballard’s firing was only the first step into a new era, and after the team’s recent failures, the signs pointed this way for a while. With stars such as Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner already out of the picture, more veteran turnover was always coming.
Downs arrived this season with a lot riding on him. After a disappointing year in which he slipped behind rookie tight end Tyler Warren following two strong seasons to open his career, he was expected to take a major step forward with Michael Pittman Jr. gone and a new contract on the horizon.
That leap never came. Even with the Colts’ pass-catching group thinned out, Downs never became a steady force. He leaves Indianapolis with 33 catches on 57 targets for 354 yards and one touchdown, good for 49.3 yards per game.
It wasn’t all on him. Daniel Jones has been bad this season, and the offense around him has been shaky too. Downs deserves some of the blame for the missed chances and needed to be more dependable in the slot, but his quarterback rarely set him up to thrive.
Now he gets a fresh start for the final ten games of the season. In Kansas City, he’ll land with a playoff team and should have a meaningful role right away as he tries to show he’s worth a major free-agent deal.
For the Colts, the trade at least turns a departing player into future draft capital. They likely would have explored bringing Downs back in the offseason if the season had gone differently, but with the franchise leaning toward a full reset, keeping the relationship intact no longer made much sense.
In Other News...
Colts Suddenly Face QB Uncertainty As Vikings Search For Help
The quarterback market is suddenly becoming a Colts story again as the NFL trade deadline approaches, with Minnesota reportedly searching for help before Nov. 10. NFL Networks Ian Rapoport mentioned Kirk Cousins and Daniel Jones as possible targets, a reminder that quarterback-needy teams can force conversations quickly this time of year and put other clubs on alert even when they are not looking to move anyone.
For Indianapolis, the wrinkle is less about what Minnesota wants than what it might try to pry loose. The Colts have already made clear they are not interested in dealing Jones, while the Raiders have shown no appetite to move Cousins, but the Vikings may keep pressing anyway as they sift through options. For a team trying to manage its own quarterback situation, that kind of external demand can turn a quiet week into one worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Took Heat After Barely Escaping The Colts
Dallas left Indianapolis with a win, but not much peace of mind. The Cowboys edged the Colts 27-23 in a game that drew plenty of scrutiny afterward, with analyst Connor Livesay taking aim at the coaching staff, especially offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, for the way the offense was managed and for a performance that never looked fully in control.
Schottenheimer did not dismiss the issues, pointing to the penalties and the need for the team to learn how to finish games. For Indianapolis, the result still stings because it was there to be taken, and the way Dallas escaped only sharpened the questions around how the Colts matched up against a team that now turns its attention to San Francisco. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Loss Still Left Indianapolis With A Few Reasons To Watch
The Colts latest loss dropped Indianapolis to 2-7 and officially shut the door on any realistic playoff path, but it still offered a few things worth filing away for the stretch run. Even in a season that has gone sideways, there are individual performances that can help shape what the team looks like next, and this game gave the staff a clearer look at a few players who made their presence felt.
Ashton Dulin, Spencer Shrader, Laiatu Latu and CJ Allen all stood out in different ways, giving the Colts some on-field positives to balance out the result. Dulin provided a spark in the passing game, Shrader kept contributing in the kicking game, and Latu and Allen each showed the kind of disruptive play the Colts can build on as they try to salvage something meaningful from the final weeks. [Read more 🡒]