INDIANAPOLIS -- Colts fourth-year receiver Josh Downs, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, has requested a trade, sources told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
Multiple teams have expressed trade interest in Downs, but the lack of movement on a deal despite the team's clear rebuilding plan prompted the request, sources told Fowler.
Asked Wednesday about his status with the team amid Tuesday's trades of guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, Downs said, "I'm open to whatever. Whatever comes my way, come my way and we go from there."
The fate of star running back Jonathan Taylor remains unclear, with multiple teams expressing interest in him, according to ESPN sources.
But Colts coach Shane Steichen on Wednesday said Taylor has not asked for a trade. Asked by reporters if Taylor had requested to be traded, coach Shane Steichen answered, "no."
"Those are hypothetical things right now," Steichen said. "I know there's stuff floating around out there, but JT's on our football team."
Whether that changes or not, the Colts (2-5) are likely to be operating under a cloud of uncertainty until the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
Downs, 25, has struggled with additional attention from defenses in the absence of No. 1 wideout Alec Pierce and the inconsistency of quarterback Daniel Jones.
Downs has 26 catches for 307 yards and no touchdowns this season. He has frequently dealt with a second defender in his area as the Colts lack other potent receiving threats. To that end, Downs has a career-low catch rate of 56.5% of his targets.
"I'm here right now," he said. "I'm here right now. I'm where my feet are. We got the Jags this weekend and so I'm in the game plan. So, I've got to be ready to go."
Steichen implored his team to remain focused.
"Anytime you lose guys like that, it hurts," he said of the trades of Nelson and Buckner. "But that's the NFL and that's the hard part about it. That's what we signed up for."
Steichen was asked whether Nelson and Buckner had requested to be traded and replied that he would keep that information "private."
The Colts (2-5) traded Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick and Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.
The moves come a week after the Colts fired longtime general manager Chris Ballard.
One of the most interesting figures in the Colts' present circumstances is star cornerback Sauce Gardner. He was traded to the Colts in a blockbuster deal at the 2025 trade deadline, with the Colts sending two first-round picks (2026 and 2027) and receiver Adonai Mitchell to the New York Jets to acquire him in an effort to make a postseason run.
Now, just one year later, the Colts appear to be tearing down the same roster they hoped could win long term.
"It's definitely tough," Gardner said. "It's different than when I first got here. But we're battle tested. I'm a man of faith, so it's one of those things where it's like everything happens for a reason. We're going to overcome this thing."
Gardner added, "I embrace everything ... I feel like I'm fit for a rebuild or anything. It doesn't matter what it is. I feel like we can turn all around and be contenders. I'm not the type of guy to just say that for no reason. I truly believe in that, and I truly know that's going to happen."