Josh Downs Trade Destinations: Three Best Landing Spots for Wide Receiver As Colts Continue to Sell

With the Colts officially selling at the trade deadline, there’s expected to be a market for wide receiver Josh Downs.

The Colts could listen to trade calls on wide receiver Josh Downs. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Trade destinations: Jonathan Taylor | Khalil Mack | Brian Thomas Jr. | Saquon Barkley

The Colts are officially selling ahead of the 2026 trade deadline.

Not only did the franchise trade eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson to the Seahawks and defensive lineman DeForest Buckner to the 49ers on Tuesday, but reports indicate that there’s likely to also be interest in running back Jonathan Taylor, defensive lineman Grover Stewart and wide receiver Josh Downs as we approach the all-important Nov. 10 deadline.

Here, we’ll focus on Downs.

A 5'9", 171-pound pass catcher out of North Carolina, Downs was selected by the Colts in the third round (pick No. 79) of the 2023 draft and has spent his first three-plus seasons in Indianapolis. Across 47 games, the 25-year-old has hauled in 198 receptions for 2,140 yards and 11 touchdowns, and notched career highs across the board (72-803-5) in 2024.

As he enters the final year of his rookie contract, Downs is seemingly available for trade. Here are three potential landing spots for the shifty wide receiver.

Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes could use another weapon on offense. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Chiefs are seemingly always in the market for a wide receiver, and according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, 2026 is no different.

“[The Chiefs] are calling around, at least, to see what they could potentially add,” Fowler said on NFL Network’s The Aftermath on Monday night. “Now they should get Rashee Rice back, he’s been out with that hamstring for the last three weeks, but you saw [on Sunday] Patrick Mahomes trying to throw the ball when the Seattle defense was stopping the run, Kenneth Walker wasn’t getting going; they didn’t have the play-action. It’s a bit of a struggle with their passing game. Travis Kelce in his mid-thirties—still productive, but not getting open like he once was—so they could look to add a piece in the next few weeks.”

Kelce certainly has been productive, leading the Chiefs in receptions (24), receiving yards (343), first downs (18) and touchdowns (two). That said, Kansas City would presumably like to see more from their wide receiver room, as former first-round pick Xavier Worthy has been hit or miss to begin his career, Tyquan Thornton is on injured reserve after dislocating his ankle in Week 4 and preseason darling Cyrus Allen has yet to recapture the chemistry he showed with Mahomes this summer.

Downs would give Andy Reid and the Chiefs’ offense a seasoned, reliable, underneath target as they look to add a spark for the stretch run.

New England Patriots

Drake Maye and Josh Downs played together at North Carolina. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Speaking of teams looking for a spark, the Patriots are 4–3, and even with Drake Maye returning to his 2025 form, they could use another weapon on offense for the stretch run.

That’s because, while A.J. Brown has returned from the high ankle sprain he sustained in Week 1 that kept him out for more than a month, fellow offseason acquisition Romeo Doubs is now on injured reserve after hurting his shoulder in Week 6 against the Raiders, as is Mack Hollins, who hurt his calf in the Patriots’ win over the Bills earlier this month.

Downs also makes sense for the Patriots given his connection with Maye. The two overlapped for one season while Maye was the starting quarterback at North Carolina, with Downs hauling in 94 receptions for 1,029 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns.

Could the two rekindle their once-electric connection from their college days? There’s only one way to find out.

San Francisco 49ers

Brock Purdy completed just seven passes to wide receivers in the 49ers' loss to the Falcons on Sunday. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 49ers dressed just four wide receivers in their 29–20 defeat at the hands of the Falcons in Week 7, underscoring just how depleted the group is at this point in the season. Not only is Ricky Pearsall out for the season after undergoing knee surgery, but veterans Mike Evans (Achilles) and Deebo Samuel (hamstring) are both dealing with injuries, while rookie De’Zhaun Stribling remains on injured reserve after sustaining an ankle injury in Week 1.

“Look, I’m always going to stand up for the guys we have on the field,” said George Kittle after the loss. “[We went] into that game with four active receivers. Which I don’t know if we’ve ever done that in the Kyle Shanahan era.” 

Downs would bring an important element to the 49ers amid their 6–1 start to the season. His ability to create separation would give MVP candidate Brock Purdy a reliable target underneath, while also helping keep defenses honest as Shanahan looks to open up the offense for the likes of Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey.

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