The Indianapolis Colts took a risky approach to free agency. Knowing that they needed to get some money off the books to re-sign Alec Pierce, they traded Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Colts signed former Miami Dolphins WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, but he's not a replacement for Pittman. If anything, he's more of a complementary piece, which means that it'll be up to Josh Downs to pick up the slack in year four.
With no obvious Pittman replacement and more touches available, the slot specialist will be asked to do much more next season. He's entering the final year of his rookie contract, and it's time to prove why he deserves a lucrative new deal.
The Indianapolis Colts need Josh Downs to take a big leap
Downs went from having 771 receiving yards as a rookie to 803 in 2023. However, with star rookie tight end Tyler Warren joining the team last season, he took a step back and finished the year with 58 catches on 88 targets for 566 yards and four touchdowns.
It was a somewhat disappointing campaign for a slot specialist who was trending in the right direction. That said, the Colts' run-heavy approach and the addition of a big-play threat like Warren reduced his opportunities; he drew 19 fewer targets than in his previous season, and the fewest of his young career.
Despite drawing the second-most targets (111) and hauling in the most receptions (80), Pittman ranked third on the team with 784 receiving yards. However, he paced the team in receiving touchdowns (7).
Of course, the bar will be higher for Warren in year two, but someone else will also have to pick up the slack. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has never drawn more than 60 targets or grabbed more than 38 passes in a season, and he has yet to reach 500 receiving yards, so he's not much of a candidate.
Players in career years usually have obvious additional motivations to be at their best, and that should work wonders for Shane Steichen's passing game. Downs has reliable hands and has always been solid at picking up yards after the catch. Development is never linear, but he was trending in the right direction before last season's somewhat disappointing production.
With Daniel Jones also looking to silence the doubters and prove that he's worth every penny he got in the offseason, the table is set for both of them to develop a stronger connection and put up huge numbers in 2026.