The Indianapolis Colts are accelerating their rebuild. After firing longtime general manager Chris Ballard last week, the 2-5 Colts made two major trades Tuesday, sending eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle and three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to San Francisco.

But Wednesday’s news came from the other side of the table. Wide receiver Josh Downs has asked the Colts to trade him as they rebuild, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, and the reaction quickly turned to where he might fit and what he could bring back.

Josh Downs Reportedly Asks Out as Indianapolis Colts Shed Pro Bowlers

The request comes one day after Indianapolis sent Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2027 fourth-round pick and Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Downs, 25, was a third-round pick of the Colts in 2023. He is still on his rookie deal, but in a contract year.

Running back Jonathan Taylor, for one, has not asked out. When reporters asked coach Shane Steichen on Wednesday whether Taylor had requested a trade, he answered, “No.”

Ryan Paganetti, a Super Bowl-winning analytics coach, replied to Fowler’s report with a quick read on the market for Downs: “A lot of teams could benefit here.”

Not every reaction was about the trade market. Podcaster BroTalk posted, “He didn’t have to request it, lol, they were gonna do it.”

Downs’ name was already out there before the report.

On Tuesday, after the Nelson trade and before the Buckner deal, NFL insider Adam Schefter talked about which Colts could be traded next on “The Pat McAfee Show” and said, “I think the players you look at would be DeForest Buckner, Josh Downs, Grover Stewart… they’ll get calls on him.” Buckner was traded later that day.

What Downs Brings and Where He Might Land

Colts analyst Zach Hicks gave a scouting-style take on the move: “Makes sense for both sides. No clue what he’s gonna fetch in a deal though. High end slot receiver for a team with two established outside guys.”

Logan on X mocked the Colts’ quarterback situation, blaming Daniel Jones for Downs’ request for a trade: “He’s seen enough of Daniel Jones.”

Pro Football Network’s account on X reacted to the news by sharing Skip Bayless’ video in which he’s seen saying “It’s my turn,” indicating Downs wanting to get traded after Buckner and Nelson’s exits.

On Wednesday, Downs addressed the rumors surrounding a possible trade. When asked if he’d rather have gotten an extension to his deal done ahead of the season, he said, “I mean, if it came my way, it came my way, but like I wouldn’t say that.”

Through Week 7, Downs has 307 receiving yards, more than anyone else on the Colts. Tyler Warren, a tight end, with 30 catches, and Keenan Allen, a wide receiver, with 29, are the only teammates ahead of Downs, whose 26 receptions have come on 46 targets. He has yet to haul in a touchdown pass.

Next Gen Stats tells a split story over the same span. On one side, Downs has gained 0.9 yards after the catch above expectation per reception, tied for 30th of 103 qualified pass catchers.

On the other hand, his 2.7 yards of average separation at the catch point is tied for 26th-narrowest in that same group. Pro Football Network’s NFL WR Impact Grade has him at 74.3 through Week 7, tied for 37th of 83 graded wide receivers and in the top half.

One team’s name came up quickly. Yahoo analyst Josh Norris asked about the Kansas City Chiefs: “Would Josh Downs solve the Chiefs’ WR problems?”

Kansas City is 5-1 and first in the AFC West. Even so, it scored only three points in a 20-3 loss at Seattle on Sunday night, and no Chiefs player had more than 44 receiving yards in that game.

Sleeper Chiefs, an account Sleeper devotes to the Chiefs, put out a post of its own on Wednesday while word of the Downs news was spreading.

Onyx Odds’ account also shared a SpongeBob meme indicating Downs’ chances of landing in Kansas City:

The Colts play at the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Nov. 1, and then host the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. 8. The NFL trade deadline is two days later, on Tuesday, Nov. 10.