The NFL trade deadline has come and gone, but there was a buzzer beater of sorts just minutes before it. The Indianapolis Colts agreed to trade wide receiver Josh Downs to the Kansas City Chiefs, a move that follows Downs’ trade request.

Downs is the latest name to leave Indianapolis. Guard Quenton Nelson is gone. DeForest Buckner was moved Tuesday. The Colts also parted ways with Keenan Allen. Now Downs is headed to Kansas City for a pair of mid- to late-round picks, and I’m not a fan of this one for Indy.

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Colts left with the worst wide receiver room in the NFL

For one, look at the wide receiver room in Indianapolis after Tuesday’s deadline. The Colts are left with Laquon Treadwell, Ashton Dulin, Deion Burks, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Anthony Gould, and a few others.

I’m going to be honest. That is the worst wide receiver room in the NFL, and it might be the worst one I’ve ever seen.

Indianapolis also doesn’t have Alec Pierce right now. He could return at some point this season, but nothing is certain, and at this stage it probably won’t happen. Whoever lines up under center for the Colts the rest of the way won’t have much to throw to.

Colts traded the wrong players at the deadline

Here’s my main issue with how Indianapolis handled this deadline. The Colts held on to Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor, the two players who probably would have brought back the biggest return.

The market was there. The Vikings were desperate for a quarterback, and they traded for Kirk Cousins. Teams around the league were looking for help at running back, too. Instead of capitalizing on that demand, the Colts moved Downs, Nelson, Buckner, and Allen, and they still don’t have any first-round picks to show for it.

Look at the full haul. Indianapolis got a fourth-round pick for Buckner, a third-round pick and more for Nelson, and a late-round pick for Allen. Now it adds fourth- and fifth-round picks for a receiver who will likely produce for Kansas City.

That is a lot of talent leaving the building for very little draft capital coming back. A sell-off is supposed to set a franchise up for the future. This one mostly thinned out the roster.

Grading the Josh Downs trade

From the Chiefs’ side, this is a strong pickup. Kansas City adds a productive young receiver and even gets a seventh-round pick thrown in, all without giving up anything higher than a fourth-rounder. I fully expect Downs to do well with the Chiefs.

For the Colts, it’s a different story. I’m giving this trade a D+ because I’m not exactly sure what Indianapolis was trying to accomplish during this entire deadline. Downs wanted out, and I understand the Colts needed to respect that request to some degree. Even so, a fourth and a fifth feels light for a receiver of his caliber, especially after the moves that came before it.

It’s safe to say the Colts made a lot of mistakes at this deadline, and the Downs deal is just the latest.