WR Josh Downs Requests Trade From Indianapolis Colts

WR Josh Downs Requests Trade From Indianapolis Colts

by

Wide receiver Josh Downs has requested a trade from the Indianapolis Colts as the 2-5 team begins a comprehensive roster teardown. The request comes amid a volatile period for the Colts organization, which fired general manager Chris Ballard on Oct. 19 and has traded veteran guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers.

For the New York Giants, the availability of Downs represents a potential solution to a depleted receiving corps. The Giants are currently missing slot specialist Calvin Austin, who suffered a season-ending ACL tear in August, as well as Gunner Olszewski and Braxton Berrios. Without a traditional, elusive slot receiver on the roster, the Giants have been forced to rely on non-traditional alignments to move the chains.

The Slot Void in East Rutherford

The Giants’ current offensive strategy has shifted toward heavy personnel. The team frequently utilizes multiple tight ends or a combination of a tight end and fullback Patrick Ricard. While Isaiah Likely is listed as a tight end, he has effectively functioned as the primary slot target this season, aligning in the slot for 255 of his 370 snaps, per Pro Football Focus. Even star rookie Malik Nabers has been pushed inside more frequently, recording 50 slot alignments over the last three games.

Downs, who stands 5-9 and weighs 171 pounds, fits the exact physical and tactical profile the Giants lost when Austin went down. His consistency is a primary draw; in three full seasons with Indianapolis, Downs has never recorded fewer than 58 receptions in a campaign. While the Giants’ offense has found a rhythm recently—scoring 27 or more points in four straight games—the lack of a dedicated slot playmaker remains a visible gap in their rotation.

BREAKING: WR Josh Downs Requests Trade From Indianapolis Colts

Giants Face Low Financial Risk to Acquire Downs

Acquiring Downs would be a low-risk financial move for New York. He is currently in the final year of his rookie contract, meaning the Giants would only be responsible for the pro-rated portion of his $3.924 million base salary for the remainder of the 2026 season. This structure allows the Giants to evaluate his fit in the system before deciding whether to pursue a long-term extension.

The cost in draft capital is expected to be similarly minimal. Given the Colts’ current trajectory and Downs’ desire to leave, Big Blue View suggests that the trade could cost the Giants no more than a late-round pick. This makes him an affordable upgrade compared to the failed reunion with Odell Beckham Jr. or the departure of Darius Slayton.

WR Josh Downs Requests Trade From Indianapolis Colts

A Crowded Market for a Young Asset

The Giants aren’t the only team eyeing the 25-year-old receiver. The Tennessean reports that several other franchises are logical landing spots, some based on existing chemistry and others on desperate need:

  • New England Patriots: A potential reunion with Drake Maye. In 2022, Downs and Maye dominated at North Carolina, with Downs hauling in 94 catches for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns.
  • San Francisco 49ers: A team plagued by injuries to Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, and Christian Kirk, looking for a healthy, long-term asset.
  • Kansas City Chiefs: A squad needing to alleviate pressure on Xavier Worthy and Kenneth Walker III due to Rashee Rice’s health issues.
  • Washington Commanders: A rebuilding offense that lost Terry McLaurin to a torn patellar tendon.

The Roster Conflict

The primary question for the Giants is not whether Downs can play, but who he replaces. Adding another playmaker creates a congestion point in the depth chart. Downs could slide into the slot, but that would necessarily reduce the snaps of Isaiah Likely or Malik Nabers. Alternatively, if he plays on the outside, he takes opportunities away from Malachi Fields.

The Colts’ urgency to move Downs is compounded by their lack of future assets. Following a trade for Sauce Gardner last season, Indianapolis does not own their first-round pick for the 2027 NFL Draft. By trading established players like Nelson, Buckner, and potentially Downs, the new regime is attempting to reset a roster that has been stalled in the middle of the standings for several years.

The trade deadline looms, and for a Giants team that has spent the season patching holes in its receiving room, a late-round gamble on Downs offers a chance to restore the elusive slot threat they envisioned in August.

Josh Downs requests trade from Colts after rebuilding moves

More on Josh Downs

Indianapolis Colts' Josh Downs Addresses Trade Rumors, Quenton Nelson/DeForest Buckner Trades

Related reading

Read next