Indianapolis Colts rookie wide receiver Josh Downs spoke to reporters on Friday about his growing relationship with roommate and fellow rookie Anthony Richardson as well as his return to the field from injury, nd much more. (Video by Jake Arthur)
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00:00 >> We'll follow your lead.
00:02 Two practices in, you missed a pretty good chunk of OTAs and everything.
00:06 How's it feel to get back out there and
00:07 pretty much continue on a strong start you had to rookie camp?
00:10 >> It's really a blessing just to be able to get back on the field.
00:13 I mean, I dealt with a knee injury from the first game of my last season in
00:17 college that it was lingering around.
00:19 So I had to get that dealt with, but thankful to God and the training staff,
00:24 I'm good enough to go right now and I feel great and I'm just excited to be out here.
00:28 >> What have you learned from Reggie so far just as far as getting open?
00:30 You were saying that's one of your specialties, but
00:32 just learning from a guy who obviously is really, really good at pitch learning.
00:35 >> Yeah, I mean, just in meetings, giving little pointers here and there.
00:39 His point of view on things he did, cuz like you said, he was all pro,
00:43 should be gold jacket, so he's been there, done that.
00:45 So anything he says, pretty much listen to.
00:48 And then for me, basically, it's just adjusting from college to the league.
00:51 Little things like splits and snap counts and just different alignments on plays.
00:57 I'd say that's the main thing right now.
00:59 I'm getting used to college.
01:00 We were more lenient.
01:01 They didn't really care where we lined up per se.
01:03 It was basically just go get open.
01:04 So now I gotta learn just different alignments, different positions,
01:07 and stuff like that.
01:08 >> Josh, you mentioned the knee, the bottom.
01:11 Did you have something done with it during?
01:14 >> I mean, that's just the small ones between me and the team, but
01:18 they should take care of it.
01:19 >> Josh, were you able to take part in the Miami three day trip, or
01:23 was this your first field work?
01:24 >> No, I took part in that with the guys, so
01:26 it helped us grow as a little group together.
01:28 I did that as well, so I was out there.
01:30 >> How was your and Anthony's, I mean, you guys went kind of viral for
01:34 the parking lot stuff.
01:35 How has your guys' relationship grown since then?
01:38 >> Yeah, me and Anthony, we're cool.
01:39 I mean, he's my roommate right now for camp, so every night we talk a little bit
01:42 about practice and just things we're gonna do tomorrow.
01:45 I like having him as a roommate,
01:46 cuz I can just tell him I'll be open whenever and throw him the ball.
01:50 But yeah, Anthony's a good dude.
01:51 He's surprising me a little bit as well.
01:53 He's got some crazy ability.
01:54 I saw that throw he made today to Alec, and just a few other throws he made.
01:57 He flicks his wrist and the ball goes 60 yards, so I'm glad he's out there.
02:01 I'm glad Garner's out there.
02:02 We've got two good quarterbacks.
02:03 >> Josh, how would you describe Shane's coaching style and
02:06 how he's putting his fingerprints on his team?
02:08 >> Yeah, I mean, he's hard on us, but he also loves on us too.
02:11 So he takes care of us as well.
02:14 We've had two practices in about four days.
02:16 We have a lot of walkthroughs, though, so we gotta protect that.
02:19 But he wants us to be good, hard on me a little bit as well.
02:22 So I like Coach Dykin, though.
02:23 I'm glad I'm here.
02:24 >> I know he's been doing just an hour practice this first week to kinda get you
02:27 guys into it after just working out without doing football activities.
02:32 How has that been different for you?
02:34 >> I'd say, yeah, college week, Coach Brown, he did kinda something similar.
02:38 It was more hour 30, hour 45, but we're way more fast-paced here.
02:42 So even though it's an hour, it doesn't really feel like an hour.
02:45 It feels like you've been out here three hours when you're running around at
02:47 full speed.
02:48 And everybody out here is competing for a job.
02:49 So it's a lot of money on the line, a lot of jobs on the line.
02:52 So dudes out here giving it their all.
02:54 So it doesn't feel like an hour, it feels more like two, three.
02:57 >> Josh, how does practicing against Kenny Moore kinda up your game here?
03:00 >> Yeah, I mean, Kenny Moore, he is one of the best slot corners in the league.
03:05 He's physical.
03:06 I know I gotta come to my A game every day.
03:08 He disguises his coverage as well.
03:10 He's about seven years back, so he knows what he's doing.
03:13 So having him out here, it should make the game a lot easier.
03:18 Him and Tony Brown, usually the guys in the slot.
03:20 Tony's physical as well.
03:21 So having those guys, it's a little different from college.
03:24 They're athletic, they're short, stocky kinda guys.
03:27 So they kinda same build as me.
03:28 So it's tough out there and it's good work.
03:31 >> People hear from Pitt so far, obviously being the top dog of the class here.
03:35 >> Yeah, Pitt, he's a guy, I mean, he's kinda taking me under his wing.
03:38 I talk to Pitt a lot.
03:39 Just little things like if I don't know what something on the schedule is or
03:43 what I need to do here and there, Pitt will help me out.
03:46 And then on the field as well, he knows a lot of plays.
03:48 So when I'm on the field with Pitt, even if I know the play,
03:52 he's gonna run by me.
03:53 You line up on the right, you gotta cross on the right, you got this.
03:56 So he's gonna give me stuff like that just to help me out cuz he knows I'm
03:58 a rookie.
03:59 So yeah, Pitt's very helpful to me.
04:01 Isaiah McKenzie as well, he helps me a lot.
04:04 So I appreciate those guys.
04:05 >> What sort of advice did you get from your dad and your uncle just about
04:09 approaching an NFL training camp and making the most of it?
04:12 >> Really, my dad just told me, take every day one day at a time.
04:15 You can't really count the last day going into the next one.
04:19 Because if you get up on your past successes, you fall back.
04:23 Or if you dwell on the past, your mistakes, then you might mess up the next day.
04:27 So my dad's just telling me, take every day one day at a time.
04:30 My uncle pretty much said the same thing.
04:32 And just go out there every day and compete, that's the main thing.
04:35 I love competing, so I feel like it's right up my alley.
04:38 >> [INAUDIBLE]
04:40 >> Last one here.
04:41 >> [INAUDIBLE]
04:51 >> Yeah, I feel as if the transition from
04:54 college to here, it's not as bad.
04:58 It's much faster, of course, so I just gotta play faster.
05:02 But I wouldn't say it's too overwhelming for me.
05:06 The coverages are different, they disguise it a lot more,
05:08 they run a lot different variations.
05:11 So I gotta really learn more of that.
05:13 But otherwise, I'd say my dad, he's prepared me a lot for this.
05:17 And then I played football since I was six years old, so
05:19 I have a pretty good feel for the game.
05:21 So now I'm just adjusting to this new level.