The Indianapolis Colts are officially entering a prep week for Week 1 of the regular season, and they may be doing so with a key piece of the offense.
Slot wide receiver Josh Downs has been out since the middle of training camp with an ankle sprain after he was tackled to the ground during practice by teammate Nick Cross.
Downs was initially in a walking boot and moving around on a scooter, but the second-year wideout has progressed beyond the need to use them.
But will the shift slot receiver be ready for the Week 1 matchup against the Houston Texans ? General manager Chris Ballard declined to give a definitive answer.
"Hopeful. Making progress, but not ready to stamp, say he's going to be ready Week 1," Ballard told reporters.
That's not exactly a vote of confidence that Downs will be ready for the opener. His initial timeline of 4-6 weeks gave him the chance to be ready for Week 1.
However, it seems more likely the 2023 third-round pick is on track to return closer to the end of that initial timeline.
The fact that the Colts didn't put Downs on the Reserve/Injured list means they expect him to be back on the field before the first four weeks of the season.
Ballard also could simply be playing coy in hopes of gaining a slight advantage over the Texans.
Downs was one of the top standouts from training camp and the preseason, showing off sticky hands, precise route running and an uncanny connection with fellow second-year quarterback Anthony Richardson.
If Downs can't go for the opener against the Texans, the Colts are likely to move rookie Adonai Mitchell into the slot while Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce work on the outside. Anthony Gould, another rookie draft pick for the Colts, could also mix in for slot duties.
We'll get a better idea of Downs' status once the Colts finally release the injury report for Week 1, but there certainly seems to be a chance he's out for the opener.
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