Josh Downs' approach to entering contract year with Colts

Indianapolis Colts' wide receiver Josh Downs is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He is currently set to be a free agent next offseason.

Naturally, for any player, that could be on one's mind when entering the upcoming season. So, how is Downs approaching this year, given his current contract status?

“Not much," Downs said when asked if he thinks about entering a contract year. "Obviously, I think about it a little bit, but at the end of the day, you gotta play football. I was talking to JT (Jonathan Taylor) about it yesterday, so JT was just telling me like, ‘Don’t even think about it, man. Go out there and play. Keep doing what you're doing.' That's the most important thing. Chasing money, I feel like that’s when you lose yourself.”

Over three seasons, Downs has caught 198 passes for 2,140 yards with 11 touchdowns. His most productive year came in 2024, when he totaled 803 receiving yards with five scores.

With the emergence of Tyler Warren last year, who was targeted 106 times, Downs' production dipped, as he recorded just 566 receiving yards. This year, however, that pendulum could swing back in the other direction.

At the receiver position, he and Alec Pierce figure to dominate the targets, with Michael Pittman now in Pittsburgh.

GM Chris Ballard has remained very bullish on Downs and his ability to produce at a high level.

"I think getting lost in this a little bit is ... Josh Downs," Ballard said, via ESPN's Stephen Holder. "I think Josh Downs is freaking good. I do. I've always thought he's good. I think allowing him some more opportunities, we're going to see some of the special stuff you've seen in the past, but more."