Josh Downs asks the Colts for a trade a day after Nelson and Buckner leave

Indianapolis Colts receiver Josh Downs has requested a trade, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday, one day after the team traded guard Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.

Downs, 25, is in the final year of his rookie contract. According to Fowler and ESPN's Stephen Holder, several teams have shown interest, and the lack of movement on a deal while the Colts are clearly rebuilding is what pushed him to ask.

Downs did not deny any of it when reporters asked about his status Wednesday. "I'm open to whatever," he said. "Whatever comes my way, come my way and we go from there."

He also said he is preparing to play. "I'm here right now. I'm where my feet are. We got the Jags this weekend and so I'm in the game plan."

The season has been a grind for him. With No. 1 receiver Alec Pierce out and Daniel Jones inconsistent at quarterback, defenses have regularly put a second defender near Downs. He has 26 catches for 307 yards and no touchdowns, and his 56.5% catch rate is the lowest of his career.

Running back Jonathan Taylor is the other name in trade talk. ESPN's sources say several teams are interested in him too, but coach Shane Steichen answered "no" when asked whether Taylor had requested a trade. "Those are hypothetical things right now," Steichen said. "I know there's stuff floating around out there, but JT's on our football team."

Steichen would not say whether Nelson or Buckner had asked to be moved, calling that "private." Seattle sent a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick for Nelson, and San Francisco gave a 2027 fourth for Buckner. Both deals came a week after the Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard.

"Anytime you lose guys like that, it hurts," Steichen said. "But that's the NFL and that's the hard part about it."

What to watch: The 2-5 Colts play at Jacksonville on Sunday. The trade deadline is Nov. 10, and Downs and Taylor are the two players most likely to decide how far this sell-off goes.