Colts' Josh Downs Making a Case to Start

Rookie wide receiver Josh Downs has continued to showcase his skills in a new offense for the Indianapolis Colts.

On Thursday, the Indianapolis Colts had their 10th training camp practice indoors at Grand Park. While the story was that rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson started with the first team, another rookie shined in 11-on-11 drills and made great plays. That player was wide receiver, Josh Downs.

Downs and Richardson have shown a connection early in their careers. However, Downs made his biggest plays of the day running with QB Gardner Minshew and the second-team offense. While Downs played mostly with the backups, he was targeted multiple times and was able to get yards after the catch and avoid would-be tacklers in the process.

While Downs ran with the second squad, fellow slot receiver Isaiah McKenzie took the first-team reps and had more of a rough day with Richardson under center. McKenzie would have a bad drop on a short throw, followed by Richardson floating a ball over McKenzie’s head on an intermediate dig across the middle of the field.

With McKenzie and Downs in a battle for the starting slot receiver role, small mistakes can make the difference between being WR3 and WR4 on the Colts’ 2023 roster.

While it’s fair to say McKenzie could be the initial starting slot receiver due to his experience in the NFL, it’s also true that Downs is making his way into the discussion to supplant McKenzie at some point in the season. It could even be a case of happening sooner rather than later.

Given that Colts wide receiver coach Reggie Wayne is a big fan of Downs and has been since before the draft, it adds to the chances that he will push to start on the offense and continue building rapport with Shane Steichen’s scheme and Richardson at QB.

This isn’t a knock on McKenzie’s abilities, but rather, a highlight of how quickly Downs has proven he could be a legitimate safety blanket and starting receiver for Indianapolis.

With the preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills right around the corner, Downs will finally get the chance to show his abilities against other competition outside of the Colts’ defense. This will be where Downs can make the clearest argument that he should be out with the starting offense to kick off the regular season against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Outlook

The Colts have a young and vibrant offense heading into the preseason. One of the offensive players that will be watched the most outside of Richardson is Downs. He has been making big plays and showcasing a consistent ability to get open. He’s also cementing that he has some of the best hands on the team already.

With Steichen continuing to smooth out the rough edges that come with a young squad, Downs will continue to have the chance to push McKenzie for the starting spot and vice versa. Competition brings out the best in football players, and the best is being shown in camp by Downs. 

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