WESTFIELD, Ind. — Josh Downs had a quiet 2025 by usage and production, but the Indianapolis Colts are positioning him for a larger role in 2026. Downs, who emerged as one of the training camp standouts, said patience carried him through a season of limited opportunities.
Even in a game when the Colts totaled 519 yards and extended to overtime against the Atlanta Falcons, Downs saw just two targets from quarterback Daniel Jones, catching one pass for 3 yards. He returned three punts in that contest, more opportunities than he received as a pass-catcher, according to team game statistics.
Downs averaged 787 receiving yards and 103 targets over his first two NFL seasons (2023-24), but finished 2025 with a career-low 566 yards on 58 receptions. A number of factors affected his usage last year: the emergence of rookie tight end Tyler Warren, the role of now-departed receiver Michael Pittman Jr., and Alec Pierce’s downfield production — Pierce led the NFL in yards per catch, the team said. Downs’ yards per reception dropped from 11.3 in his first two seasons to 9.8 last year.
The Colts have signaled a deliberate effort to increase Downs’ role for 2026. General manager Chris Ballard said, “I’m a big Josh Downs fan,” and coach Shane Steichen added, “There’s guys that have got to step up, and Downs is going to be one of those guys.” Steichen also described Downs as “a guy that can play inside and outside now for us, and his role is going to improve this season.”
Downs has operated primarily from the slot, playing 67.1% of his career snaps there, with only 40 of 198 receptions coming from perimeter alignment. The Colts plan to use him more on the outside and in multipersonnel sets, moving him into pre-snap motion or off the line to mitigate press coverage given his 5-foot-9, 171-pound frame. After showing more deep-route work earlier in his career, Downs’ share of receptions gaining 20+ yards fell from 14.3% to 6.9% last season; the team has indicated his downfield opportunities could increase as role assignments shift.
