Tuesday’s fire sale started in Indianapolis with the Colts Trading both Quinton Nelsons and DeForest Buckner ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
But the deals may not stop there.
Wednesday morning wide receiver Josh Downs has requested a tradeAnd WR should have no shortage of suitors on the open market.
Here are five teams that should pick up the phone.
As the Colts swung a pair of trades on Tuesday, first sending guard Quinton Nelson to the Seattle Seahawks and then trading DeForest Buckner to the San Francisco 49ers, two more players, including Downs, entered online speculation.
And the Kansas City Chiefs immediately connected with the wide receiver.
It means a lot. The Chiefs look to be back among the top teams in the AFC, despite last Sunday night’s loss to Seattle, and the addition of Kenneth Walker III last season makes that running game a much-needed leader.
However, the passing game could use some help, which seems surprising considering the return of Patrick Mahomes. But with Tyquan Thornton lost for the season with an injury and Rashee Rice still working his way back from a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 4 against the Las Vegas Raiders, adding a WR makes a lot of sense for the Chiefs.
Another team with injuries in the WR unit?
A list of receivers currently on injured reserve can be established as a replacement team for an NFL team. DeMarcus Robinson, DeZun Striling and Ricky Pearsall are out, and Brandon Ayuk is out of the league after an impressive season. And while Mike Evans and Debo Samuels are on the active roster, both have dealt with injuries this season.
San Francisco signed veteran Brandin Cooks to the practice squad in late September and introduced him to the active roster before Week 4, but for a team eyeing another deep playoff run, Downs would give Kyle Shanahan another top-tier talent in the WR department, and quarterback Brock Purdy a much-needed target in the passing game.
While the first two teams have interest at the position due to injuries, the Atlanta Falcons are an interesting option due to the caliber of players on the roster, what will help this team compete in the NFC South.
In Drake London and Kyle Pitts Sr., the Falcons have two big-bodied receivers on the outside. But finding the right mix of slot and Z-receiver options has been difficult. Jahan Dotson is one option, as is Olamide Zacchaeus. Then there’s rookie Zacharias Branch, but he’s struggled in ball protection, missing a pair of losses in Week 6 against the Chicago Bears.
But it would go down and give Atlanta an established weapon outside the slot, a great addition to what the Hawks can roll on the borders.
If we talk more about planning with the old team, we’ll come back to the idea of filling out a roster after an injury.
The Chiefs confirmed that Terry McClarin has been placed on injured reserve after tearing his patellar tendon against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 6. The team had announced that he would be out for the year after the loss in San Francisco, but now it has been announced.
Deami Brown, Stefon Diggs, Antonio Williams, Trelon Burks and Luke McCaffrey are the current options in the WR unit, while adding Downs gives Jaden Daniels another target in the passing game. With the Chiefs at the bottom of the division with a 1-4-1 record, just three games behind the Giants in the win column, the Philadelphia Eagles struggling and the Dallas Cowboys going through another up-and-down cycle, there’s no reason to draw in Washington this season.
Another team rumored to be in the market for WR help is the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Right now, rookie Germie Bernard and veteran DK Metcalf are Aaron Rodgers’ top targets. Michael Pittman Jr. is currently on reserve with a foot injury — and as reported by Pittsburgh It may be an extended absence – And Roman Wilson is also on IR, though a finger injury could keep him out for Week 10.
According to this article from ESPN’s Jeremy Fuller and Matt Bowen, the Steelers are one of the best teams down the stretch with the Chiefs. Bowen described Downs as “a guy who has the sudden footwork and coverage recognition to distinguish between a team that needs a top-level target to beat down and move the chain.”
Given what Bernard and Metcalf bring to the table, Pittsburgh could be that spot.