What's going on with Indy? If Brian Windhorst covered the NFL as well as he does the NBA, he might ask this question, echoing his viral Utah Jazz moment from a couple of years ago. Windhorst doesn't cover the NFL, but the question remains: what's going on with the Indianapolis Colts?
Quenton Nelson is gone. DeForest Buckner is gone. Today: Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor, Josh Downs, and head coach Shane Steichen. Any of that can change within the next 24 hours, though, or none of it could. If nothing changes, then, really, what's going on? The Colts aren't making the playoffs, and an offseason overhaul is coming, so what's next?
Downs isn't sure what's next; neither is Taylor, but of the two potentially traded Colts players, Downs is the one who has a trade request on the table. Clearly, he wants out of Indianapolis, which makes an exchange with a reporter after the Colts' Week 9 loss puzzling.
Josh Downs doesn't appear clear on what he wants with the Indianapolis Colts
Downs has not had a great year—354 total yards, two touchdowns, and zero 100-yard games. Those aren't good numbers even if you are a No. 2 target, especially one looking for a trade. That said, in Downs's defense, the Colts' offense has been terrible from the start, and Daniel Jones has been equally bad.
Still, the numbers on paper don't help Downs. Whether the Colts trade him by the Tuesday deadline or not remains to be seen, but a trade request means one thing, and one thing only: the player wants to leave. On Sunday, though, Downs's answer to a question after the Colts' loss to the Dallas Cowboys was more confusing than confident.
"I said I'm open to whatever, and if they want me to stay here, I'mma stay here, and if they don't… they'll trade me away," Downs said per The Athletic's James Boyd.
That response came after he quipped to the reporter about the original question: whether he wants to be with the Colts. Before Downs answered, he laughed and said, "You know, I mean…you funny for that."
Downs' trade request was and is public; he wouldn't have been out of bounds to confirm his stance to the media two weeks later unless his stance had changed. His answer, though, was interesting because he didn't say yes or no, even though his demeanour and attitude suggest he would rather leave.
Like Taylor, the Colts don't have to move Downs, but they also don't want to deal with a player who clearly wants to be off the team for the rest of the season, especially if the rest of the season is more losing than winning.
Downs may actually revive his season on a different team with a better quarterback and offensive situation. The Kansas City Chiefs are rumoured to be interested, and considering their wide receiver situation, Downs would be a welcome addition.
Given his response to the reporter, though, the Colts should move Downs. As puzzling as it was, it's clear he doesn't want to represent the Colts jersey anymore.
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