WESTFIELD, Ind. – As training camp kicks off Wednesday, the Colts will be without their top two wide receivers from 2025. Alec Pierce will begin camp on PUP after undergoing ankle surgery in March and Michael Pittman Jr. was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers the same month.
In the absence of Pittman and Pierce, Josh Downs will have an opportunity to show he can do more in the Colts' offense.
"It's definitely an opportunity, but also a continuation to show I'm a really good receiver in the NFL," Downs said Tuesday. "I feel like I'm with some of the best guys in the league and I'm excited for more opportunities."
Downs had 98 targets during his rookie campaign in 2023 and 107 in 2024. The number dipped to 88 in 2025 as rookie tight end Tyler Warren became a primary target and ended the year with 112. As the Colts offense evolved with Warren and incorporated more tight end usage, Downs appeared on just 58.7 percent of snaps as opposed to the 65.2 percent he saw in 2024.
The Indianapolis Colts arrived at Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield on Tuesday, officially kicking off training camp ahead of the team's first practice on Wednesday.
CTanor Bortolini #60
RB Ulysses Bentley IV #37
OL Josh Sills #66
G Matt Goncalves #71
QB Daniel Jones #17 and Stephen Galvan - Assistant Athletic Trainer
QB Daniel Jones #17
QB Daniel Jones #17
G Dalton Tucker #68
G Dalton Tucker #68
LB Jaylon Carlies #57
G Jalen Farmer #62
G Jalen Farmer #62
G Quenton Nelson #56
G Quenton Nelson #56
TE Drew Ogletree #85
TE Drew Ogletree #85
Brianna Gazmarian Director of Social Media
TE Tyler Warren #84
TE Tyler Warren #84
T Luke Tenuta #67
T Luke Tenuta #67
K Blake Grupe #10
K Blake Grupe #10
RB DJ Giddens #21
RB DJ Giddens #21
S Hunter Wohler #30
S Hunter Wohler #30
C Josh Kreutz #61
T Blake Freeland #73
LB Austin Ajiake #58
LB Austin Ajiake #58
TE Will Mallory #86
TE Will Mallory #86
S Daniel Scott #32 and Caleb Gilchrist - Production Intern
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
DT Adetomiwa Adebawore #95
WR Deion Burks #80
WR Deion Burks #80
LB Bryce Boettcher #50
LB Bryce Boettcher #50
LB Bryce Boettcher #50
WR Anthony Gould #6
CB Robert Carter Jr. #39, CB Jai'Onte' McMillan #42 and LB Devin Veresuk #48
LS Luke Rhodes #46
P Rigoberto Sanchez #8
LS Luke Rhodes #46 and P Rigoberto Sanchez #8
P Rigoberto Sanchez #8 and LS Luke Rhodes #46
P Rigoberto Sanchez #8
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99 and Brianna Gazmarian Director of Social Media
DT DeForest Buckner #99 and Brianna Gazmarian Director of Social Media
DT DeForest Buckner #99
DT DeForest Buckner #99
CB Justin Walley #27
WR Raylen Sharpe #8
WR Sahmir Hagans #11
DE George Gumbs Jr. #52
DE George Gumbs Jr. #52
T Bernhard Raimann #79 and S Ben Nikkel #34
CB Cameron Mitchell #43
T Bernhard Raimann #79
S Ben Nikkel #34
RB Anderson Castle #42
RB Anderson Castle #42
RB Seth McGowan #20
S A.J. Haulcy #25
T Jalen Travis #75
T Jalen Travis #75
DT Colby Wooden #96
TE Carson Towt #45
TE Carson Towt #45
S Trey Washington #41
TE Mo Alie-Cox #81 and WR Laquon Treadwell #13
WR Laquon Treadwell #13 and TE Mo Alie-Cox #81
WR Laquon Treadwell #13
DT Tim Smith #93
DT Tim Smith #93
LB Tahj Chambers #44 and LB West Weeks #47
TE Sean McKeon #49
DT Tim Smith #93
LB West Weeks #47
TE Sean McKeon #49
LB Tahj Chambers #44
C Jimmy Morrissey #65
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine # 12
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine # 12
T Bayron Matos #78
T Bayron Matos #78
WR Coleman Owen #9
Veronica Smith - Social Media Associate and WR Alec Pierce #14
WR Coleman Owen #9
WR Alec Pierce #14
DE Mitchell Melton #54
DE Mitchell Melton #54
DE Caden Curry #55
DE Caden Curry #55
CB Jonathan Edwards #35
Mia Guy Creative Video Producer and CB Jonathan Edwards #35
CB Jonathan Edwards #35
Brianna Gazmarian Director of Social Media
T Nolan Rucci #76
S Jonathan Owens #38 and S Juanyeh Thomas #33
S Jonathan Owens #38 and S Juanyeh Thomas #33
Veronica Smith - Social Media Associate and S Juanyeh Thomas #33
S Juanyeh Thomas #33
S Jonathan Owens #38
Veronica Smith - Social Media Associate and S Jonathan Owens #38
WR Eli Pancol #83
WR Eli Pancol #83
DT Cam Ball #64
C Geno VanDeMark #63
WR Josh Downs #2
WR Josh Downs #2
WR Josh Downs #2
QB Riley Leonard #15
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91 and DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
QB Riley Leonard #15
DE Laiatu Latu #97 and DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
QB Riley Leonard #15
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91 and DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91 and DE Laiatu Latu #97
DE Jaylahn Tuimoloau #91
WR E.J Horton Jr. #10
CB Cam Taylor-Britt #26
CB Cam Taylor-Britt #26
CB Jaylon Jones #40
DT Derrick Nnadi #92
CB Jaylon Jones #40
DT Derrick Nnadi #92
CB Jaylon Jones #40
DT Jerry Tillery #94
K Spencer Shrader #3
DE Durell Nchami #74
S Camryn Bynum #0
S Camryn Bynum #0
S Camryn Bynum #0
S Camryn Bynum #0
LB Akeem Davis-Gaither #51
WR Ashton Dulin #16
Veronica Smith - Social Media Associate and WR Ashton Dulin #16
TE Drew Ogletree #85
TE Drew Ogletree #85
WR Ashton Dulin #16
DE Arden Key #98
DE Arden Key #98
David Thornton Vice President of Team Engagement
CB Sauce Gardner #1
CB Sauce Gardner #1
David Thornton Vice President of Team Engagement
CB Sauce Gardner #1 and David Thornton Vice President of Team Engagement
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
Veronica Smith - Social Media Associate and RB Jonathan Taylor #28
RB Jonathan Taylor #28
QB Anthony Richardson Sr. #5
DT Grover Stewart #90
DT Grover Stewart #90
DT Grover Stewart #90
"(We're) trying to find different ways to get him the ball," head coach Shane Steichen said on The Colts Show. "We'll go through that in training camp and game week prep, but we're excited for him this year."
As he saw a decline in his on-field presence, Downs focused on himself off the field and what he could learn from it.
"It teaches you patience, teaches you to just be grateful for what you get and I just keep working," he said. "I was still doing all the stuff I was doing the years before, and I just gotta keep going, keep my head down and stay on the ground."
General manager Chris Ballard has watched Downs work tirelessly the last three seasons, and has always believed the North Carolina alum is a good player. He wants Downs to take this opportunity and prove to others what he's thought all along.
"I think this is going to be a good thing for us," Ballard said Tuesday. "I think Josh is explosive and I think he's got playmaking ability. He's a tough dude and it'll be fun to watch him. I'm a Josh Downs fan."
