Indianapolis Colts WR Josh Downs Has a Lot to Prove in 2026
Indianapolis Colts WR Josh Downs Has a Lot to Prove in 2026
There is no doubt that this season is a very important season for the Indianapolis Colts.
As things current stand on Wednesday, May 27th, 2026, there are key starters that are entering the final year of their contracts.
- DeForest Buckner
- Quenton Nelson
- Grover Stewart
One that has not been talked about a lot is wide receiver Josh Downs. He is coming off a season where he registered career lows in receptions (58), targets (88), yards (566), and yards per reception (9.8).
“I just want to go out there in practice and even in the games and compete. I feel like I’m a really a really good receiver. I would say great, but you know, I got to prove that. I feel like I do great things in my route running and there’s other things I can improve on, but I feel like at the end of the day, that’s the that’s the pinnacle of being a receiver, is a great route runner, and I feel like I can do great things there. Maybe my role can expand with the different departures you know, [Michael] Pittman left and AD [Mitchell] as well left. So we got two really good players that aren’t on the team anymore. I’d love to see, you know, a role possibly expand and be able to showcase that more.” Downs stated on Query & Company Wednesday afternoon after being asked about his mindset going into a contract season.
He is going to have an opportunity this season to prove if he is more than just a slot receiver. With Michael Pittman Jr. gone, there are 100+ targets that will be distributed among Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Tyler Warren, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, and Ashton Dulin.
With the middle of the field becoming such a priority for teams because of more zone coverage, slot receivers have started to take over the NFL. The trend started with Cooper Kupp in 2021 when he won the triple crown primarily as a slot receiver. Now you see players like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Ceedee Lamb, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and others primarily line up as slot receivers be in contention for leading the league in receiving yards.
If Downs can put together a career 2026 and eclipse 1,000 receiving yards and find the end zone six times, then he is going to be in for a big payday in the off-season.
To listen to Jake Query’s and conversation with Josh Downs, download the podcast containing the conversations below! You can always listen to the Query & Company from 12pm-3pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan. You can also watch and interact with the show by going to the 107.5 The Fan YouTube Channel.
