The Colts' trade of wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to the Pittsburgh Steelers left a 784-yard and seven-touchdown hole in their offense. The receiver played in Indianapolis the last six years, becoming a dependable target for 12 different quarterbacks.
One player who may be able to fill that void is fourth-year receiver Josh Downs. The 5-foot-9 former third-round pick recognizes both the contributions Pittman made and what he can do to make up for those.
"Great dude, good leader, tough as nails – I mean, a guy that's produced a lot for us over the past couple of years," Downs said. "We're losing a great player. He has a good opportunity in Pittsburgh. I know he's excited for it. I talked to him about it, but of course we're going to miss him in the room and just around the facility, because he's a great guy. But I mean, at the end of the day, we all want opportunity, so we just got to pick it up where he left off and keep going."
Rookie tight end Tyler Warren's presence made the tight end spot a larger focal point in the Colts' passing game than in years past, leading to less production for Downs. In 2025, he had 58 receptions compared to 72 in 2024, and only totaled 566 yards as opposed to the 803 he had in 2024.
Given the drop in production, Downs was asked Wednesday if he was frustrated with the outcome of his 2025 season.
"It was a little different. My target share went down a little bit," Downs said of last season. "At the end of the day, you just have to do what you can with what you get."
It's not just Downs looking to fill Pittman's shoes. Ashton Dulin and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine both will compete to replace Pittman's snaps as an outside receiver. Dulin is entering his seventh season with the Colts, and while he's been a special teams ace, he has been viewed as a valuable reserve on offense. Westbrook-Ikhine was signed in March after spending time with the Tennessee Titans (2020-24) and Miami Dolphins (2025). Throughout his career, he has amassed 1,862 yards on 137 receptions.
With a receiver room consisting of Downs' separation ability, Dulin's speed and Westbrook-Ikhine's versatility, the Colts have the talent to make up for what Pittman brought to the team.
"We've tried to do a good job in years past of utilizing those guys for their strengths," offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. "We're going to try to use guys to the best of the ability to help our offense."
With the exception of Alec Pierce, who signed an extension in March, the Colts receiver room looks quite different from last season. AD Mitchell, too, was part of the November trade package to acquire Sauce Gardner from the Jets.
A constant the last three seasons has been Downs, who is ready to step up to the plate in the absence of Pittman.
"There's probably more opportunities there for me," Downs said. "I'm excited for the new year and to see what happens with it."
