Colts WR Josh Downs sidelined with ankle injury

Indianapolis Colts wideout Josh Downs was helped off the practice field Wednesday with an ankle injury. Downs did not put any weight on his lower leg after being tackled by safety Nick Cross during 7-on-7 drills. ESPN reported it was a high ankle sprain and the 2023 third-round pick will be sidelined for about a month. Downs, who turns 23 next week, caught 68 passes for 771 yards and two touchdowns in 17 games (nine starts) during his rookie campaign. Colts coach Shane Steichen was disappointed with the injury and said Downs will undergo testing immediately. "We gotta be smart," Steichen said. "We're competing like crazy, but we gotta stay off the ground, and we can't go down." Cross said the incident was unfortunate but part of the competition of training camp. "I mean, we're playing football. We're competing. Josh is my guy. I love that boy to death," Cross said. "... We're here to play football at the end of the day." Downs is a projected starter along with two-time 1,000-yard receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and either rookie Adonai Mitchell or Alec Pierce. Also Wednesday, the Colts placed center Wesley French, 27, on injured reserve. French, an undrafted rookie in 2022, played in all 17 games in 2023 and made three starts. He will be ineligible to play this season. The Colts signed free agent center Ryan Coll in a corresponding move. The Colts open the preseason on Sunday against the visiting Denver Broncos. --Field Level Media