The Andrew Luck recovery saga has carried on longer than the Indianapolis Colts hoped, but it finally appears that he's nearing a true return.
It's been about a year and a half since he underwent shoulder surgery that kept him out for the entirety of the 2017 season, but as the 2018 campaign draws closer, there's optimism that he'll be the signal-caller for the Colts in Week 1. On Thursday, new head coach Frank Reich told reporters that Luck is “real close” to throwing footballs again.
Still, he doesn't want to force him back early and cause another setback.
From the Indy Star's Zak Keefer:
“I think we're real close (to throwing an actual NFL football). Again, I’ve never been through what he’s been through. I could sit here and say what I think but it’s gotta come from down in here (points to his heart). There’s an instinct as a player, that you know when you’re ready to go, and you keep testing it and testing it, and you work with the people you’re working (with), and you trust your instinct when you’re ready to go.”
Luck's status was left in limbo for the first half of the 2017 season, with owner Jim Irsay making peculiar statements that seemed to question Luck's toughness and dedication to getting back on the field. Even with the Stanford product, the Colts probably weren't going to make much of an impact last year with a suspect offensive line and an inconsistent defense.
Indianapolis hopes that changes in 2018. They addressed holes on the o-line in the NFL Draft, headlined by the selection of standout Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson with the sixth overall pick. They also hammered the linebacker and defensive end positions.
It won't be easy for the Colts in what has suddenly become a stacked AFC South division, but with a healthy Luck and some big weaknesses potentially fixed, Indianapolis will be an interesting team to follow over the coming months.
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