Better late than never. It took them much longer than expected, but the Indianapolis Colts finally brought in a much-needed reinforcement, signing veteran WR Keenan Allen to replace Michael Pittman Jr.
At first glance, one could think this is bad news for Josh Downs. He was the odd man out with Tyler Warren's arrival last season, and now that he's entering a contract year, he can definitely use an expanded role.
However, Downs doesn't seem to be fazed by that at all. If anything, he knows what Allen can bring to the table, and he believes the Colts' passing game now has the potential to be absolutely unstoppable on third down.
The Indianapolis Colts have two third-down specialists
“I’m excited to have Keenan (Allen) on the team now. Keenan’s so big on third down, but that’s been my shit, too. You put both of us on the field, (and) I’m getting true one-on-one (coverage) most of the time. They gotta respect that,” Downs said.
Staying ahead of the chains is priority No. 1 for offensive-minded head coaches like Shane Steichen. With Allen's arrival, he now has two reliable pass-catchers to scheme for, with Daniel Jones always having a safety blanket to gain those tough yards.
Allen earned the "Third-and-Allen" moniker for his prowess and chain-moving expertise in crucial situations. Last year alone, he helped Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers secure 29 first downs in third-down situations. That's nearly one-third of his 81 receptions.
Josh Downs may not be as widely known for being a third-down specialist as Allen, but he's not that far behind. Even as a rookie, he led the team with 14 third-down catches for a first down, and he's only grown and gotten better since.
While neither of them is particularly explosive, Downs and Allen are two crafty route-runners. Whether it's with some pre-snap motion, a quick-twitch, or their smooth footwork, they figure out how to create separation in limited space more often than not, and they don't drop a lot of passes.
Downs is focusing on what actually matters here. Of course, getting his numbers will be important for securing a new deal and all, but the best way to put up big stats is to make sure the offense stays on the field. With Allen, they have another weapon to make sure that will be the case.
Also, Allen is one of the most proficient pass catchers of his generation, but he's not getting any younger. He may be familiar with Shane Steichen and some of his concepts, but he still needs to take hold of the new offense.
As such, Downs should still be ahead of him in the pecking order, at least to start the season. Whatever the case, with a well-established running game to move the sticks on early downs, two third-down specialists, and potential big-play threats like Tyler Warren and Alec Pierce, good luck getting the Colts' offense off the field in 2026.
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