The Patriots’ receiving picture has grown shaky enough that a move at the deadline starts to make real sense, and the Colts may have exactly the kind of player they should be asking about.
With Romeo Doubs now on injured reserve after Week 6 against the Jets, the group around Drake Maye has thinned out even more. A.J.
Brown is back after missing four games with an ankle injury, but he still hasn’t looked like the answer New England needed in his first two games since returning. Stefon Diggs is missed, Kayshon Boutte might be too, and that has left the offense searching for another reliable target.
That’s why Colts wide receiver Josh Downs should be on the radar.
Indianapolis looks like it could be headed toward a fire sale after parting ways with its general manager last week, and Downs stands out as the kind of player New England ought to inquire about. He and Maye were teammates at North Carolina, where their connection was no joke.
In 2021, Downs hauled in 101 passes for 1,335 yards and 8 touchdowns, while Maye threw 342/517 for 4,321 yards, 38 touchdowns, and just 7 interceptions. Maye led the conference in nearly every category, including 308.6 passing yards per game, and Downs led in receptions.
Downs has already shown he can produce in the NFL, too. Drafted a year before Maye, he’s become one of the Colts’ brighter pieces despite landing on a dysfunctional roster and cycling through multiple quarterbacks in four seasons. His best year came in 2024, when he finished with 72 catches for 803 yards and 5 touchdowns while fighting Alec Pierce for the team’s WR1 label.
This season hasn’t been as sharp. Over six games, with Pierce sidelined, Downs has 24 receptions for 289 yards. He’s also in the final year of his contract, which only adds to the logic of a deal if Indianapolis is ready to reset.
For New England, the appeal goes beyond the numbers. The Maye-Downs chemistry already exists, and that kind of familiarity matters. At 25, Downs would give the Patriots another receiver to grow with their quarterback, something Mike Vrabel has made clear he wants on the roster.
The fit isn’t automatic, though. A move would mean sorting through what the Patriots think of DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism, since Downs is another smaller slot receiver. Josh McDaniels has already been inconsistent in how he’s used those pieces this season, so the door isn’t closed on a trade.
Still, if the Colts are open to moving Downs for a reasonable price, the Patriots should at least make the call. Even if it doesn’t lead anywhere, there’s no reason not to ask.
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