In his first two seasons, Josh Downs looked like a star in the making for the Indianapolis Colts. He was never their go-to guy, but he was a reliable pass catcher with consistent hands who could consistently move the chains.
Fresh off an 803-yard, five-touchdown season, Downs looked poised for a career year in 2025. Instead, he was often left behind in the pecking order, with the Colts prioritizing first-round pick Tyler Warren in the first year of the Daniel Jones era.
That's why, now that Michael Pittman is gone and they need someone to pick up the slack, the team is making a conscious effort to get him going. According to ESPN insider Stephen Holder, the Colts know he can get back on track with more opportunities.
The Indianapolis Colts need to trust Josh Downs in a career year
"But there is an effort underway to reprioritize Downs in 2026. Some of that is happening organically; Pittman has been traded and Pierce is still rehabbing from offseason surgery. But some of it seems more deliberate, with the Colts in recent months emphasizing just how good Downs was in his first two seasons and vowing not to forget," wrote Holder.
Standing at 5-foot-9 and 171 pounds, Downs has played almost exclusively in the slot. Per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), just 17.4 percent of his snaps have come out wide, and he's always been much more efficient between the numbers.
Michael Pittman Jr. was the Colts' most consistent possession receiver in recent years, and with him now in Pittsburgh, Shane Steichen may have to get creative and either move Downs around the formation a bit more or call more quick and intermediate throws to help Daniel Jones get into a rhythm.
The Colts didn't do much to address their needs at wide receiver. Veteran Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has reportedly been impressive in training camp, and he's a big-bodied guy who can win the 50/50 battle more often than not, but he's never been much of an offensive factor.
Downs is entering a contract year, and now that the Colts have had time to play with their new toy, he should no longer have to watch from afar while Tyler Warren gets all the love; there should be plenty of targets for everyone.
There's also the Alec Pierce factor. The Colts are paying him WR1 money and believe he can be their featured guy, but he's been mostly a big-play specialist, and he hasn't even cracked 50 receptions in a single season. How he will deal with an expanded workload is anybody's guess, especially if teams take the home run away from him.
Downs amassed at least 700 receiving yards in each of his first two years in the league, and not using him to the best of his abilities can be a huge mistake. He's developed better chemistry with Daniel Jones in training camp, and with the Colts looking to stay under center more often, his quickness and elusiveness in short areas might come in handy.
He wants to do more, and his team needs him. Now, it's up to them not to make him the odd man out again.
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