The long, drawn-out saga of Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts might very well continue into the regular season. On the heels of Colts owner Jim Irsay refusing to commit to the injured quarterback playing Week 1, comes this relatively ominous outlook from ESPN’s Mike Wells.
The "odds are against Andrew Luck playing Week 1" – @MikeWellsNFL just now on @SiriusXMFantasy
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) August 24, 2017
Luck underwent off-season shoulder surgery and has yet to fully participate in practice. He’s not going to suit up for any preseason games. And it’s looking increasingly likely that backup Scott Tolzien will start the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams.
The former No. 1 pick underwent surgery back in January to fix an issue in his throwing shoulder that has hampered him since the 2015 season. Indianapolis has drawn criticism for its handling of the situation, leading many to believe that the injury itself could still impact Luck this season.
Adding more fuel to the fire, Indianapolis has failed to add anyone of substance behind Luck on the depth chart. Tolzien is nothing more than a journeyman backup that should not see the light of day during the regular season. That’s an issue for a team many view to be on the downswing.
Should Luck miss the start of the season, it will put the Colts behind the proverbial eight-ball against superior competition in the AFC South, the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans included.