With the trade deadline getting closer, the Los Angeles Rams have been working the phones - and wide receiver help appears to be near the top of the list. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported last week that the Rams were looking into receiver options, and on Wednesday he added that they are a team that could land help before the deadline.
That search has naturally put the Indianapolis Colts’ Josh Downs into the conversation. On Tuesday, the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers moved on the Colts’ recent fire sale, and it wouldn’t be a shock if the Rams tried to follow that path. Downs fits the kind of opening Los Angeles needs to address, especially with Davante Adams injured.
Even once Adams is back, the Rams still have a clear issue at the third receiver spot. That’s where Downs makes the most sense in the offense.
Downs had already been a player the Colts were taking calls on, but Wednesday morning he took things a step further by requesting a trade himself. The idea seems to be to speed up the process. A deal for Downs is not viewed as likely this week, but Jordan Schultz reported that the expectation is a trade will eventually happen.
Sources: Colts WR Josh Downs is requesting a trade from Indianapolis. pic.twitter.com/rwGaVGMTFf
The market around Downs is also heating up, which only raises the pressure for teams that want in. The Rams may need to move quickly if they’re serious, especially with the Colts continuing to shed players they don’t see as part of their future.
Downs is having a down year, no pun intended, but his production still stacks up well against what the Rams are getting from their current options. He has 122 more yards than Tutu Atwell, Konata Mumpfield, and Jordan Whittington combined. His yards per route run and targets per route run are also better than all three, even with a larger sample.
There is some hesitation about how Downs would fit because of his size and usage. He may be a slot-only player, which makes the projection a little trickier in Sean McVay’s offense. Still, the Rams have run 11 personnel at a 55.9 percent clip this season, and when they’ve needed a third receiver, trust has been hard to come by with Mumpfield, Whittington, and Atwell.
The numbers inside that group tell the story. In 11 personnel, Mumpfield has a -0.07 EPA per target, while Whittington sits at -0.24 EPA per target.
Atwell has been more efficient, but he has only been targeted twice. The Rams seem to view him as more of a clear-out threat than a full-time answer.
That’s why Downs stands out. He may be the same size as Atwell, but the skill set is different. Downs separates better, works the short and intermediate areas instead of living only on vertical routes, and adds value as a punt returner.
He’s also a more direct stylistic match with Zay Flowers than with Atwell. Downs and Flowers are both compact, twitchy receivers with quickness, change-of-direction ability, and route-running polish. Downs has speed, but blowing the top off defenses is not his calling card.
Josh Downs is a completely effortless mover, sheesh. Incredibly electric. Don't love him in traffic/contested catch situations/outside, but he creates a ton of separation and has rocket launchers attached to his cleats https://t.co/VHC5g6a2uL pic.twitter.com/jZOPpUBlFL
There’s more to his game than just movement skills, too. Downs is still a willing blocker, and that part of his profile has improved over four years.
The Colts were also asking him to do that in an offense built around Jonathan Taylor. According to PFF, Downs logged 108 run-blocking snaps through the first six weeks and earned a 64.2 run-blocking grade.
By comparison, Mumpfield, who has a smaller frame as well, posted a 59.7 run-blocking grade on 54 snaps.
If the Rams want to upgrade that WR3 role once Adams returns, Downs is the kind of player who could do it. The question is whether they act before another team gets there first.
The Colts are moving fast, Downs has a market, and if Los Angeles believes he can be a dependable upgrade, there’s no reason to wait around. Les Snead has an opportunity in front of him.
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