Colts Receiver Josh Downs Requests Trade as Kansas City and Rams Circle

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has formally requested a trade, accelerating the franchise's mid-season reset ahead of the November 10 deadline. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler confirmed on Wednesday that Downs asked out amid Indianapolis' rebuilding efforts, and the expectation around the league is that he will eventually be moved. The request comes just days after the Colts traded away two of their most recognisable players, sending guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner back to San Francisco. Kansas City and the Los Angeles Rams have both been linked with Downs, with the Chiefs in particular searching for help for Patrick Mahomes after injuries exposed limitations in their passing game. The Rams, meanwhile, are exploring receiver options following Davante Adams' injury and a need to upgrade their third receiver spot. Downs is enduring a down year by his standards, but his underlying numbers remain strong: he still has more receiving yards than Tutu Atwell, Konata Mumpfield and Jordan Whittington combined, with better yards and targets per route run than all three. A trade is not considered likely this week, according to reports, but with Indianapolis moving on from players it does not see as part of its future, interested teams may need to act quickly.