The Indianapolis Colts parted ways with general manager Chris Ballard after losing to a previously winless Tennessee Titans team. That decision could open the door for the Kansas City Chiefs to trade for Colts wide receiver Josh Downs ahead of the NFL trade deadline.

Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon said in a statement that the move doesn’t change any of the team’s goals for this season. However, Ballard’s exit could be the first domino to fall if Indianapolis becomes a seller at the deadline. Even longtime Colts beat writer Stephen Holder feels like a fire sale could be coming.

Indianapolis signed WR Alec Pierce to a four-year, $114 million contract extension this offseason. With that commitment on the books, the Colts could look to move Downs, especially after his early-season struggles to get involved on offense.

Why the Colts could make Josh Downs available

Downs isn’t to blame for those struggles. Colts quarterback Daniel Jones admitted that defenses are keying in on Downs in the passing game. With Pierce sidelined by injury and an aging Keenan Allen among the team’s top pass catchers, Indianapolis has few other options to draw attention away from him.

If the Colts keep losing games into November, their approach to keeping a player like Downs could change. Stockpiling draft capital for their new general manager may become the priority. If that happens, Chiefs GM Brett Veach would be wise to call Indianapolis.

The downsides of a Josh Downs trade for the Chiefs

For starters, size is a concern. The 25-year-old receiver (5-foot-9 and 171 pounds) is similar in size and style to Xavier Worthy. Downs has no notable durability concerns, but that frame doesn’t typically hold up long-term in the NFL.

His production hasn’t jumped off the page, either. Downs has just 24 receptions for 289 yards and no touchdowns. Some of that comes down to opposing defenses focusing on him as Indianapolis’ lone reliable weapon. Still, Downs never eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark in his three seasons before 2026, and he’s never caught more than five touchdown passes in a single season. He’s been catching passes from Daniel Jones, so Chiefs fans shouldn’t hold that against him.

Downs also isn’t a speedster like Tyquan Thornton or Worthy. He ran a 4.48 40-yard dash leading up to his draft year. That’s hardly slow, but it’s not the kind of field-stretching speed the Chiefs might want.

All of this may sound negative, but it also contributes to why Downs could be an option for Kansas City. If they trade for him, they’re betting they can get more out of him than the Colts did.

Why Downs could still make sense in Kansas City

On the plus side, Downs is still only 25. He’s also in the final year of his rookie deal. It’s unclear whether he’d be willing to play out that contract, but Kansas City could acquire him as a half-season rental and then decide his future in the offseason.

The Chiefs already face several wide receiver decisions this offseason. Among them is Rashee Rice, who has dealt with off-field issues during his career and is also in a contract year.

Downs would join an offense with plenty of experience spreading the ball around. That could open opportunities for him, especially once Rice returns and Worthy takes on a bigger role after Thornton’s injury.

No need for either side to rush

The Colts don’t seem interested in rushing this decision, and the Chiefs shouldn’t rush it either. Kansas City still has plenty of receivers to evaluate. Cyrus Allen played only nine offensive snaps last week. Andrew Armstrong handled the WR3 role with 42 offensive snaps, while Justin Watson played a single offensive snap. Jaylen Royals saw several snaps before he left the game for a head-injury evaluation.

The Chiefs still have evaluating to do in their receiver room. Meanwhile, Indianapolis has to decide whether shipping off a player like Downs is in its best interest with a new general manager on the way.

What could a trade for Colts WR Josh Downs look like?

Here’s how A to Z Sports’ NFL Trade Simulator values Downs and what a trade could look like for Kansas City:

Acquiring Downs in Week 7 would cost the Chiefs about $2.5M in cap space. Right now, Downs’ value matches Kansas City’s 2027 fourth-round pick. The team might be more willing to take that pick, knowing they have a third-round pick from the Los Angeles Rams in the Trent McDuffie trade. His value is based on 20+ variables and hundreds of real NFL trades over a decade-plus. Draft pick value starts at 3000 points for the 1st overall pick, like the old Jimmy Johnson trade value chart, but the curve is shaped to fit today’s NFL trades.