Josh Downs Requests Colts Exit Amid Trade Turmoil and Star Deals

WHO:

Behind the Steel Curtain - NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that multiple AFC teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers, had expressed interest in Josh Downs.

Sportskeeda - Josh Downs addressed whether he wanted a trade or a contract extension.

NBC Sports - Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said the Colts’ trades made Jacksonville’s task “a little easier,” while emphasizing that his team should focus on its own execution.

SB Nation - The five teams it identified as possible Josh Downs suitors were the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers.

SB Nation - The Commanders placed Terry McLaurin on injured reserve after he tore his patellar tendon against the 49ers; the injury ended his season.

Heavy NFL - NFL writer Benjamin Solak of ESPN identified the Carolina Panthers as a possible fit for Josh Downs, saying he “brings a skillset” that could make him a “cool Panther.”

Heavy NFL - NFL writer Kristopher Knox named the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs as potential AFC destinations for Downs.

Newsweek - The Kansas City Chiefs were linked to Downs ahead of the trade deadline.

Heavy NFL - The Minnesota Vikings were reportedly among teams interested in Jonathan Taylor.

Fox News - Jonathan Taylor’s wife, Ayanna Taylor, posted a TikTok asking, “Do I need to start packing” amid speculation about Taylor’s future.

Behind the Steel Curtain - NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that Pittsburgh was among the AFC teams interested in Josh Downs; Michael Pittman Jr. was the second Colts pass-catcher traded to Pittsburgh this year.

NBC Sports - Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said Quenton Nelson was playing some of the best football of his career and described DeForest Buckner as highly disruptive against both the run and the pass.

Fox News - Colts guard Quenton Nelson was an eight-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro selection; these details were not included in the existing summary’s WHAT section.

NBC Sports - Jonathan Taylor’s wife posted at least three videos about the trade situation.

ESPN - Fourth-year Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs, 25, is in the final year of his rookie contract and requested a trade, according to sources who spoke to Jeremy Fowler.

ESPN - Multiple teams have expressed interest in acquiring Downs; ESPN did not identify them.

ESPN - Colts coach Shane Steichen said running back Jonathan Taylor had not requested a trade. Taylor’s trade status remained unclear, although multiple teams had expressed interest, according to ESPN sources.

ESPN - The Colts traded guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers.

ESPN - Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner said the team was “battle-tested,” that he believed it could “turn all around and be contenders,” and that he was prepared for “a rebuild or anything.”

Fox News - Buckner, 32, was selected seventh overall by the 49ers in the 2016 draft. He had four sacks, eight quarterback hits and 31 combined tackles in seven games.

Fox News - Nelson was an eight-time Pro Bowler and six-time All-Pro selection.

Fox News - The 49ers’ Nick Bosa was expected to return during the season from a calf injury.

WHAT:

NBC Sports - Jaguars head coach Liam Coen said Quenton Nelson had been playing “some of the best football of his career” and DeForest Buckner had been “extremely disruptive” against both the run and pass, tipping balls and creating problems inside.

ESPN - Colts coach Shane Steichen said Quenton Nelson and DeForest Buckner had not told him whether they requested trades, adding that he would keep that information “private.”

Jaguars.com - Jaguars Senior Writer John Oehser wrote that Brian Thomas Jr. was not a “locker-room” issue and that Jacksonville continued giving him opportunities because of his skill set and his status as a team-first player.

Jaguars.com - Oehser said Thomas had not played like a front-line receiver since the beginning of the 2025 season and had too often failed to go strong for the ball.

Jaguars.com - Oehser said the Jaguars’ situation with Thomas was not a scheme dispute or a standoff with coach Liam Coen; the team was trying to work out how to win amid Thomas’s struggles.

Jaguars.com - Oehser said coaches rarely participate in player contract negotiations, citing the general manager’s role as separation between coaches and players.

ESPN - Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner said, “We’re going to overcome this thing,” and said he believed the team could “turn all around and be contenders.”

SB Nation - The Chiefs’ Tyquan Thornton was out for the season with an injury, while Rashee Rice was working back from a hamstring injury suffered against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4.

SB Nation - The 49ers had DeMarcus Robinson, D’Zhaun Stribling and Ricky Pearsall on injured reserve; Brandon Aiyuk was away from the league, and Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel had dealt with injuries.

SB Nation - The Falcons’ Zachariah Branch had lost two fumbles against the Chicago Bears in Week 6.

SB Nation - Steelers receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was on injured reserve with a foot injury, and Roman Wilson was on injured reserve with a finger injury; Wilson could return for Week 10.

SB Nation - The Commanders had a 1-4-1 record and were three games behind the Giants in the win column.

Heavy NFL - Grover Stewart and Keenan Allen were identified as Colts players with expiring contracts who could draw trade interest.

Jaguars.com - Jaguars writer John Oehser reported that Brian Thomas Jr. had struggled with drops and missed opportunities since the start of the 2025 season, and did not play in the second half of Jacksonville’s 34–31 loss to Houston.

Jaguars.com - Jaguars coach Liam Coen said of Thomas, “We’re going to continue to support him, put our arm around him,” and said the team would work to put him in the best position to make plays.

NBC Sports - Coen said the Colts’ trades made the Jaguars’ task “a little easier,” but stressed that Jacksonville should focus on its own improvements and execution.

Behind the Steel Curtain - Schultz reported a trade for Downs was not considered likely that week, but sources expected a trade eventually.

Behind the Steel Curtain - Downs recorded 58 receptions for 566 yards and four touchdowns in 2025, and 72 receptions for 803 yards and five touchdowns in 2024.

NBC Sports - Liam Coen said the Jaguars should focus on their own execution, fundamentals and technique rather than the Colts’ trades, adding, “you can’t control that stuff and if you think about it too much it typically doesn’t help.”

NBC Sports - Coen said the Jaguars should expect the Colts to play to win and cited Philadelphia playing Jacksonville “to the last second” despite having several players out.

Fox News - The Seahawks were set to receive a third-round pick for executive Nolan Teasley, who became the Minnesota Vikings’ general manager, and two fifth-round compensatory picks for the departures of Kenneth Walker III and Riq Woolen.

NBC Sports - Taylor acknowledged the existence of trade rumors.

NBC Sports - The Colts could hold Taylor out of Sunday’s game if they had not received an offer they liked; NBC Sports said a healthy scratch would be the clearest indication a trade was coming unless a deal happened beforehand.

Fox News - The 49ers had recorded 15 sacks, tied for 20th in the league, while San Francisco’s 20 sacks the previous season were a league low.

ESPN - Sources said Downs requested a trade because multiple teams had shown interest but no deal had moved forward despite Indianapolis’s rebuilding plan.

ESPN - Asked about his status after the team’s trades, Downs said, “I’m open to whatever. Whatever comes my way, come my way and we go from there.” He also said, “I’m here right now,” and said he was in the game plan for the Jaguars matchup.

ESPN - Downs had 26 receptions for 307 yards and no touchdowns this season; his catch rate was a career-low 56.5%. ESPN reported that he had faced additional defensive attention while top receiver Alec Pierce was absent and quarterback Daniel Jones was inconsistent.

ESPN - The Colts sent Buckner to San Francisco for a 2027 fourth-round pick and Nelson to Seattle for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.

Fox News - Fox’s Eric D. Williams graded the Buckner trade B+ for San Francisco and C+ for Indianapolis, describing the Colts’ draft compensation as low for a productive, foundational player on an expiring contract.

Fox News - Fox’s Ben Arthur graded the Nelson trade A for Seattle and B+ for Indianapolis; he described Nelson as a major addition to Sam Darnold’s protection and Seattle’s rushing attack.

NBC Sports - The Colts could hold Taylor out of action if he remains a possible trade candidate. A healthy scratch on Sunday would be an obvious sign that a trade was coming, unless a deal happened earlier.

Daily Mail NFL - Reported that a Colts player had demanded a trade amid the team’s fire sale; the excerpt identifies Downs as the player in its headline.

Heavy NFL - Reported that the Steelers were among teams interested in Downs, citing NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Pro Football Network - Reported that analysts were discussing possible destinations for Downs following his reported trade request.

WHERE:

ESPN - Downs, Steichen and the Colts are associated with Indianapolis; the Jaguars matchup was identified as the team’s upcoming game.

ESPN - The trades sent Buckner to San Francisco and Nelson to Seattle.

WHEN:

ESPN - The trades and Downs’s trade request were reported in the same account; ESPN said the Colts had traded Nelson and Buckner on Tuesday and reported Downs’s request on Wednesday.

ESPN - The Colts’ trade deadline was Nov. 10, 2026.

ESPN - The team’s timeline listed a 7–2 record through Weeks 1–9 of 2025; acquisition of Sauce Gardner on Nov. 4, 2025; a 3–12 record since Week 10 of 2025; Chris Ballard’s firing on Oct. 19, 2026; and the Nelson and Buckner trades on Oct. 27, 2026.

NBC Sports - The article said 13 days remained in the 2026 trading window.

WHY:

NBC Sports - Coen said the Jaguars should focus on their own execution, fundamentals and technique rather than the Colts’ trades, adding, “you can’t control that stuff and if you think about it too much it typically doesn’t help.”

SB Nation - Kansas City’s potential interest in Downs was linked to Tyquan Thornton being out for the season and Rashee Rice recovering from a hamstring injury; San Francisco’s interest was linked to injuries and absences among its receivers.

SB Nation - Downs could give Atlanta an established slot receiver, while Washington’s interest could be driven by Terry McLaurin’s season-ending injury. Pittsburgh had Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson on injured reserve, with Wilson potentially returning for Week 10.

Jaguars.com - Oehser said Thomas’s speed and ability to win deep downfield were relatively unique among Jacksonville receivers, but that he needed to perform consistently for those qualities to matter.

ESPN - Josh Downs’s trade request followed interest from multiple teams and a lack of progress toward a deal amid Indianapolis’s rebuilding plan.

SB Nation - The article said Kansas City could use another receiver because Thornton was out for the season and Rice was recovering from injury.

SB Nation - The article cited injuries to San Francisco’s receiving group as a reason Downs could give quarterback Brock Purdy another target.

SB Nation - The article said Downs could add an established slot receiver to Atlanta’s options, while his potential fit in Washington was linked to McLaurin’s season-ending injury.

Behind the Steel Curtain - The article said a potential trade would follow Pittsburgh’s March trade for Michael Pittman Jr. during the first day of the new league year.

NBC Sports - Coen called speculation about whether the Colts would trade Jonathan Taylor “rat poison either way,” and said he wants the Jaguars to beat strong opponents.

Fox News - Seattle’s expected third-round pick for losing Teasley and two fifth-round compensatory picks for the departures of Walker and Woolen made the draft compensation in the Nelson deal more manageable for the Seahawks.

NBC Sports - The Colts’ decision about whether to play Taylor could be complicated by the risk of injury; the article cited Saquon Barkley’s aggravated hamstring and subsequent back injury as a recent example.

ESPN - The Colts’ 2–5 record and rebuilding plan were described amid uncertainty following the firing of general manager Chris Ballard and the trades of two prominent players.

ESPN - Steichen said losing Nelson and Buckner “hurts,” adding, “That’s the NFL and that’s the hard part about it.”

Fox News - Indianapolis traded Buckner and Nelson to obtain draft picks and build compensation for a rebuild.

HOW:

ESPN - Indianapolis acquired Gardner from the New York Jets in 2025 by sending two first-round picks, for 2026 and 2027, and receiver Adonai Mitchell.

ESPN - The Colts had re-signed quarterback Daniel Jones and receiver Alec Pierce to multiyear contracts during the 2026 offseason.

The Colts traded guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to San Francisco, while fourth-year wide receiver Josh Downs has requested a trade as he enters the final year of his rookie contract. Multiple teams are interested in Downs, including the Steelers, Chiefs, 49ers, Falcons and Commanders, though a trade that week was not considered likely; Colts coach Shane Steichen said Jonathan Taylor had not asked to be traded, and Taylor’s future remains unclear. Jaguars coach Liam Coen said the Colts’ trades made Jacksonville’s task “a little easier,” but urged his team to focus on its own execution.