Colts WR Josh Downs reportedly requests trade

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs has requested a trade, according to reporting attributed to ESPN, as the team weighs its roster after trading two veteran starters. The Colts have not said whether they will grant Downs’s request, and no deal involving him has been reported. Downs, 25, is in the final year of his contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He has 26 catches for 307 yards through seven games this season. A 2023 third-round pick, he has recorded 224 receptions for 2,447 yards and 11 touchdowns over his career. The reported request follows Indianapolis’s trades of guard Quenton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday. Reports said the moves brought the Colts three draft picks. The transactions have prompted speculation about other players, but discussion of a potential move is not confirmation that one is planned. Running back Jonathan Taylor has been a focus of that speculation. Colts coach Shane Steichen said Taylor had not asked for a trade and remained with the team, describing possible trade scenarios as hypothetical. Taylor signed a two-year contract...