WESTFIELD – Josh Downs has been easy to overlook this offseason.

AD Mitchell is the exciting new hope at wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts after arriving in the second round of April’s NFL Draft out of Texas by way of Georgia, and he’s locked in a compelling battle for a starting role with veteran Alec Pierce.

Michael Pittman Jr. is the established leader of the position group and signed a three-year, $70 million contract to return to the franchise as a free agent in the spring.

There are no such attention-grabbing headlines around Downs – even though he’s coming off one of the most productive rookie seasons ever for an Indianapolis receiver with 68 catches for 771 yards and two touchdowns in 2023.

That’s fine by the 22-year-old, who is entrenched as the starting slot receiver and confident in the hard work he put in away from prying eyes this offseason.

“I put in the work,” he said after the second practice of training camp Saturday at Grand Park Sports Campus. “I know what I did behind closed doors and even some videos that people’s seen. But I know that the work’s been done. So whatever comes to fruition is whatever comes to fruition.”

There are very high expectations for the Colts’ offense this fall.

Much of the optimism centers around the fact quarterback Anthony Richardson and running back Jonathan Taylor – the supposed engine of this unit – played just two snaps together last year and are now enjoying a happy and healthy offseason of preparation together.

But there’s ample reason to point to Downs as another potential source of vast improvement.

The former North Carolina star is just scratching the surface of his capabilities at the professional level, and he admits he was banged up last season.

A knee injury slowed him in the spring, and it never fully disappeared throughout his rookie year. Downs insists there’s another gear he can reach on the field, and even his general manager believes too many folks are sleeping on the receiver’s potential.

“I don’t know if (Downs) got talked about enough last year,” Chris Ballard said on the eve of training camp. “Downs did some freaking good things now, and I think he’s about to explode.”

Many players make the biggest leap of their careers from Year 1 to Year 2.

There already were signs of little improvements from Downs this spring. He’s running crisper routes and identifying defensive coverages quicker.

Downs also is growing in his relationship with Richardson. The pair made an instant connection as rookies, but that on-field chemistry was interrupted for a good while after the quarterback suffered a season-ending injury in Week 5.

The two continued to build their bond off the field, however, and Downs said they not only have picked up where they left off this summer but they’ve gotten even more onto the same page.

They’re starting to communicate at the line of scrimmage with a simple glance, and often times when they discuss the result of plays after practice they’re seeing the same things and thinking of the same solutions.

Not all growth in the NFL is physical.

“Josh is a really smart player,” offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. “Those really smart players take advantage of opportunities to make the most of their strengths. Josh is really athletic, too, but as a Year 1 to Year 2 (player), you learn a lot in the league. … Josh is primed and ready to have a big camp out here and do some really good things.”

There was evidence to support that theory Saturday, including a gain of about 25 yards on an out route that saw Richardson place a ball between two defenders to Downs along the sideline.

From the receiver’s perspective, he’s able to play at a much quicker pace than he was a year ago.

He has the offense down, and he’s graduated to attacking weak spots in the defense. He and Richardson even are improvising at times based on their mutual feel of the situation.

Though he’s still young himself, Downs also is starting to serve as a mentor to Mitchell.

He sounds like a man freed from some first-year burdens and ready to test how high he can push the ceiling for his career.

“Just being more comfortable on the field,” Downs said of his new mindset. “Even off the field, I just know how to take care of my body better. I have a better routine of how to take care of my legs, take care of my mental. On the field, I know the offense. I’m not thinking about the route as I’m running to line up. I’m hearing the play, and I’m looking at who’s in front of me like, ‘OK, what defense are they in?’ I feel like, for me, that’s the biggest thing.

“Helping guys like AD outside – I mean he’s young, so I’m trying to help him as much as possible. And then just being like – same mental as Pitt because Pitt knows a lot. AP knows a lot. Now when I’m on the field with them, it’s more so just clicking.”