The Chiefs are suddenly at the center of the Josh Downs trade chatter, and some teams around the league think Kansas City already has a deal lined up with Indianapolis before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline.
That’s the read from Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who said the Chiefs have moved to the front of the line for the Colts receiver. Breer reported that there was “a belief from some teams over the weekend that Downs would be moved to Kansas City for a fourth-round pick.”
He also noted that the market may still work in Indianapolis’ favor if the Colts are willing to let the process breathe a little longer.
“And again, the hope, for the Colts, would be that letting this all play out might sweeten whatever deal they get for the tough, resourceful middle-of-the-field target, who’s at the end of his rookie deal.”
Nothing in the report says the teams have actually finished the job, but Kansas City is clearly in the mix as it looks to bolster its passing game for the stretch run. The Chiefs are 6-2 after a 35-12 win over the New York Jets in Week 9, and they head into Sunday’s road game against the Atlanta Falcons at 1 p.m. ET on CBS with more receiver help still on the radar.
Downs would give Kansas City another option in the offense, and the timing makes sense with the deadline looming.
Indianapolis, meanwhile, has already started dealing from a different place. The Colts fell to 2-7 after a 27-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9, their fifth straight defeat, and the front office has already sent out veterans including Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner as it looks ahead.
That makes Downs a name to watch. Through nine games, he has 33 catches for 354 yards and one touchdown, with a 10.7-yard average per reception. He also had three grabs for 24 yards in Sunday’s loss to Dallas.
The Colts are back on the field Sunday against the Miami Dolphins at 1 p.m. ET on CBS, while Pittsburgh and San Francisco remain in the receiver market and could still influence what Indianapolis gets back before the deadline hits.
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