Andrew Luck - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Notes: Luck, Fournette, Watson

November 5th, 2017 at 11:24am CST by Zachary Links

Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link) says no one is exactly sure what the future holds for Colts QB Andrew Luck, who was recently placed on IR and ruled out for the remainder of the year. Per Rapoport, Luck has met with at least four doctors and has been advised that he should not throw for two to three months, though surgery is not in the cards at this point. Rapoport says all indications are that Luck will be healthy for the start of 2018, but Alex Marvez of Sporting News is not so optimistic. Because of the way the Colts publicly handled the situation, Marvez does not put much stock in reports that Luck will be ready to go by the start of 2018 — especially since he still cannot throw without soreness 10 months after surgery — and he says Indianapolis is facing the possibility of Luck never playing again at a high level and being on the hook for $87 million in salary guaranteed against injury. Chris Mortensen of ESPN.com tweets that Luck will be reevaluated in December, and that the Colts are “not ignoring” the 2018 QB draft class.

On that sobering note, let’s take a look at more rumors from around the AFC:

The Colts claim that cornerback Vontae Davis is out for today’s game due to non-injury reasons, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk hears that is actually a cover-up for the fact that the Colts have not disclosed Davis’ lingering groin injury in recent weeks. Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star says there is more to Davis’ absence than the team is letting on, but he believes Davis’ absence is due to personal reasons and is not injury-related.
Jaguars RB Leonard Fournette was deactivated for today’s game against the Bengals, and Jay Glazer of FOX Sports tweets that the star rookie missed treatment, a workout, and a team photo this week, which led to his benching. Head coach Doug Marrone is clearly trying to change the culture in Jacksonville, though Jags fans have to hope it doesn’t come at the expense of the team’s playoff push.
Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets that Texans QB Deshaun Watson is expected to miss eight to nine months as a result of his ACL tear, though the last time he tore his ACL, he missed only five months, so Houston is hopeful for a shorter timeline.
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says Broncos QB Paxton Lynch is under consideration to start in the team’s Week 10 matchup against New England, but Mike Klis of 9News.com says (via Twitter) that report is inaccurate. Klis reports that Lynch is not yet physically ready and that Brock Osweiler will keep the job if he plays well.
As La Canfora writes in a separate piece, there are some Browns coaches who believe GM Sashi Brown intentionally scuttled the team’s near trade for A.J. McCarron, presumably because he believed the cost (a second- and third-round draft choice) was too high. Even if Brown is right about that, his efforts to intentionally sabotage the trade represent a massive breach of protocol and will only intensify the much-discussed rift between the team’s coaching staff and front office. But even if Brown did not act duplicitously, and even if the botched trade was simply due to human error, the fact that the coaching staff thinks Brown intentionally nixed the deal suggests things have gone beyond the point of no return in Cleveland.

Colts Place Andrew Luck On IR

November 2nd, 2017 at 12:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Colts are placing Andrew Luck on IR and commencing a shutdown of their franchise quarterback, the team announced.

Luck told the team’s website he’s “very optimistic” about his future, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets Luck’s being shut down on the recommendation of several doctors. He adds this is not being viewed as a career-ending injury.

“I wish I was better and 100 percent this season, but that’s not the case,” Luck said. “I know I’ll be better from this. I know I’ll be a better quarterback, teammate, person and player from this, and I’m excited for the future.”

Luck had a cortisone injection done in his shoulder to help the pain he began experiencing after resuming workouts, and he hadn’t practiced since. Although Luck’s timetable was murky for most of this season, Chris Ballard said (via Mike Chappell of IndySportsCentral, on Twitter) the team did not attempt to mislead and called this a fluid situation. Ballard said Luck’s soreness did not calm down after the injection, but the rookie GM did not say another surgery was on tap (Twitter links, via Chappell).

However, Ballard won’t put a time frame on when Luck will again resume throwing (Twitter link, via Chappell).

Ballard also said (via Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star, on Twitter) he hasn’t heard from one doctor that this is a career-ending injury. The Colts as of now are planning on Luck being ready for the 2018 season, per Ballard (via Chappell, on Twitter).

“We’re going to exhaust all resources because the best interest is the player,” Chuck Pagano said. “It’s long-term, and we said that. It’s for the next 10, 12 years for this guy and for any player. Before we put anybody out there, we’re going to make sure he’s right so we’re going to stick to that process.”

Luck’s injury could have affected Pagano significantly. It’s unlikely he’ll get to coach Luck again. The Colts are 2-6 after consecutive seasons without playoff berths, and given that Ballard did not hire him, the sixth-year Indianapolis coach looms as an obvious Black Monday candidate.

Ballard confirmed the Colts attempted to sign quarterbacks during the summer when it looked like Luck was not going to be ready in time for this season, but the recent GM hire said (Twitter links, via Holder) the team didn’t find anyone it liked and the situation ended up being stabilized once Jacoby Brissett arrived. Ballard did say (via Chappell, on Twitter) he regrets waiting until September to trade for Brissett. Although, it’s uncertain if the Patriots would have pulled the trigger much earlier since he was a candidate to make their roster — one that housed a deeper wideout corps prior to Julian Edelman‘s injury, one that induced the Pats to acquire Phillip Dorsett — during training camp. Brissett is signed through the 2019 season.

The Colts attempted to sign Nate Sudfeld off the Eagles’ practice squad this week, Adam Caplan of ESPN.com tweets, but they worked out four other quarterbacks late last month. The Eagles promoted Sudfeld to their active roster on Wednesday. Rapoport notes (on Twitter) Josh Johnson is likely to be the player signed to fill Luck’s roster spot.

Indianapolis’ brass continued to push back Luck’s timetable after his January surgery, much like the Bill Polian-led regime did with Peyton Manning‘s in 2011, and this will end up being the second time in seven seasons the team will have had to redshirt its franchise quarterback.

Luck, though, is obviously in no danger of being cut after this season. However, this shoulder problem lingered for two years, with Albert Breer of SI.com noting (on Twitter) he played through injury for two years and is paying for it now. Luck missed nine games in 2015 but missed just one last season, and the 2016 absence was because of a concussion. The Colts have not advanced to the playoffs since Luck’s third season.

The Colts will now turn things over to Brissett as Luck’s rehab shifts toward the long-term.

Colts Work Out Four Quarterbacks

October 31st, 2017 at 11:23am CST by Sam Robinson

Andrew Luck will not practice this week, Chuck Pagano said. This marks three straight weeks the previously progressing passer has been shelved because of the setback he encountered.

And the Colts are operating accordingly, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets, noting the team is working out Connor Shaw, Matt McGloin, Matt Barkley and Josh Johnson on Tuesday.

Luck will see multiple specialists for further evaluation on his troublesome throwing shoulder, and it’s possible he could redshirt this season. The Colts have Scott Tolzien as a Jacoby Brissett backup but could be looking for a third quarterback in case they end up placing Luck on IR.

McGloin and Barkley have been summoned for workouts together previously this season, and Johnson was previously affiliated with the Colts. This is the veteran’s first known workout since the Giants parted ways with him.

Latest On Colts QB Andrew Luck

October 29th, 2017 at 3:43pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Colts quarterback Andrew Luck began feeling pain after throwing several weeks ago and is now seeking further medical opinions related to the cause of his discomfort, tweets Jay Glazer of FOX Sports.

Reports of a Luck setback first surfaced earlier this month, and the Indianapolis signal-caller hasn’t participated in practice or thrown since. Instead, Luck — who hasn’t played at all this season as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery — received a cortisone shot and ceased all football activity.

The Colts opted not to place Luck on the physically unable to perform list at the season’s outset, meaning he’s been accounting for a roster spot all year long. Whether or not a late-season Luck return is possible remains unclear, but Indianapolis is now 2-6 following today’s loss to the Bengals. FiveThirtyEight gives the Colts just a 1% chance of winning the AFC South and a 3% chance of earning a postseason berth.

AFC Notes: Jackson, Luck, Novak, Dolphins

October 28th, 2017 at 12:50pm CST by Ben Levine

Hue Jackson‘s record with the Browns is now 1-22, and that has naturally led to questions regarding the head coach’s job security. While Jackson might not have the support of the team’s brass, one of his fellow NFL head coaches believes the team is in good shape.

“Hue is a heck of a football coach,” said Vikings coach Mike Zimmer (via Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com). “He’s tough. He’s smart. He’s a great competitor. I know that it’s taking him a little bit longer than what he has anticipated, but he’s going to get that thing turned around. That’s the kind of guy he is. He will never stop or relax until he gets it all right.

“Really, they are not that far away. They are really good on defense, and they just turn the ball over offensively.”

Jackson and Zimmer previously coached together in Cincinnati, and they served as the coordinators for the 2007 Falcons. The Browns will be seeking their first win of the season when they play the Vikings tomorrow in London.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the AFC…

If Andrew Luck is ultimately cleared to play, he should be taking the field for the Colts, opines Stephen Holder of the Indy Star. The writer understands that there’s some risk to playing a previously-injured franchise quarterback when the team is already out of the playoff hunt. However, Holder believes there are several benefits to having Luck take over under center. If the quarterback misses the entire season, he’ll end up going 20 months without playing in an NFL game. Inserting Luck into the lineup would also allow him to get “reacclimated” with the system and his teammates, which could be instrumental if the team hopes to compete in 2018.
Nick Novak is currently dealing with an ankle injury, and the Chargers worked out three kickers yesterday. However, ESPN.com’s Eric Williams tweets that the veteran is expected to play this weekend. The 36-year-old has appeared in three games this season, converting three of his four field goal attempts.
Dolphins practice squad quarterback Brandon Doughty wasn’t promoted to the active roster this week. However, ESPN.com’s Field Yates tweets that the former seventh-rounder did get a pay raise, as his weekly salary was bumped from $7,200 to $15,200.

Latest On Andrew Luck

October 22nd, 2017 at 8:53am CST by Rory Parks

Another week, another report on Andrew Luck from Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Luck, of course, suffered a setback in his recovery this week, so instead of practicing, the Colts’ franchise quarterback will cease all football activities for the time being.

That leads to the obvious question of whether the 2-4 Colts should just shut Luck down and call it a day. But they are just one game back in the AFC South standings, and La Canfora says Indianapolis is committed to seeing Luck play at some point this season if his health allows (and, presumably, if the team still has a chance at a playoff berth, though La Canfora suggests the Colts want to play Luck even if they are out of contention).

La Canfora adds that the setback is not considered particularly serious. It is not uncommon for a quarterback recovering from shoulder surgery to plateau as Luck did, it just means that his potential return will be pushed back. When he does return to the practice field, he will need to go through several weeks of throwing on a limited basis before being able to throw on consecutive days and being integrated back into the offense.

All of that means that Luck will most likely not suit up until November 26 at the earliest, with a December return more likely. Until then, Jacoby Brissett will continue to start under center.

Setback For Colts QB Andrew Luck

October 18th, 2017 at 3:24pm CST by Zachary Links

Andrew Luck has suffered a major setback in his recovery and, for the first time this year, the Colts are leaving the door open to the possibility that he could land on injured reserve. At a surprise press conference on Wednesday, GM Chris Ballard announced that Andrew Luck will not be able to practice this week after experiencing soreness in his shoulder.

The belief was that Luck could conceivably return in early November, but that seems impossible given the latest news. Instead of practicing, the Colts’ franchise quarterback will receive a cortisone shot and cease all football activities.

With Jacoby Brissett under center, the Colts are off to a 2-4 start. Heading into a date with the Jekyll & Hyde Jaguars and no timetable on Luck’s return, the Colts have reason to fear that this could be a lost season.

Hindsight is 20/20, but one has to wonder why the Colts did not fortify their backup quarterback situation in the offseason. Brissett has done his best to adapt to the new system on the fly, but there has been a significant dropoff on offense.

AFC South Notes: Colts, Luck, Texans, Watt

October 10th, 2017 at 2:15pm CST by Zachary Links

Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has been ruled out for next Monday night’s game against Tennessee, coach Chuck Pagano tells reporters. The Colts are still waiting for Luck to make his 2017 debut but publicly they have been insistent that he will play at some point. Over the weekend we learned that Luck is at least a month away from playing.

Here’s more from the AFC South:

Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt is facing a lengthy recovery for his tibial plateau fracture, but the good news is that he did not suffer ligament damage, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com hears (on Twitter). The Houston star will miss the remainder of the 2017 season, meaning that he will have missed 24 games over the past two regular seasons. Before that, Watt earned Pro Bowl trips and first-team All-Pro honors in every campaign from 2012-2015.
Colts wide receiver Krishawn Hogan confirmed that an ACL tear is the reason behind his being placed on IR (Twitter link via Mike Chappell of CBS4). “‘I kind of knew it when it happened,” Hogan said of the injury. The UDFA out of Marian University was elevated from the Colts’ practice squad in late September and appeared in two games. He had practice buzz, so the Colts can be expected to circle back to him in the offseason.
Colin Kaepernick‘s representatives reached out to the Titans after Marcus Mariota went down with a hamstring issue.

Andrew Luck Still At Least A Month Away

October 8th, 2017 at 8:48am CST by Rory Parks

Colts quarterback Andrew Luck returned to practice in a limited capacity this week, but Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports that the star signal-caller is still at least a month away from returning to game action. There was hope that Luck could return for the Colts’ Week 6 (October 16) tilt against the Titans, or, failing that, for the team’s Week 7 matchup against the Jaguars on October 22. However, it appears as though neither of those scenarios will come to fruition.

Per La Canfora, Luck made it through his initial throwing program with no setbacks, but he is likely to spend the remainder of October continuing to rehab and slowly working his way back into game shape. He has not yet practiced on consecutive days, and he will soon progress to doing so in a limited manner. Once that happens, he can begin practicing more fully.

The Colts have stumbled to a 1-3 record without Luck under center, with their only win coming against the hapless Browns. The hope was that the season could still be salvaged if he could return to the field within the next couple of weeks, but if he cannot make it back until November 5 at the earliest, Indianapolis’ season could effectively be over. The team has winnable matchups against the 49ers, Titans, Jaguars, and Bengals prior to that date, but it is difficult to envision the Colts winning more than two of those games without Luck, which would put them at 3-5 on November 5.

In the meantime, Jacoby Brissett will continue to get the nod at quarterback. He has been something of a stabilizing influence for the Colts’ offense, but until Luck returns, Indianapolis will continue to be behind the 8-ball.

Extra Points: Colts, Browns, Jets, Vikings

October 4th, 2017 at 9:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although quarterback Andrew Luck will return to practice this week, he won’t be available for the Colts on Sunday when they play the 49ers, head coach Chuck Pagano told reporters, including Mike Chappell of FOX 59 (all Twitter links). Indianapolis has an extremely detailed plan in place for Luck: while he practiced today, he’ll take Thursday off before returning to the field on Friday. Luck, who is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, was adamant that he’ll play for the currently 1-3 Colts during the 2017 season

Here’s more from around the league:

While the Browns clearly aren’t pleased with their winless start to the season, the club’s rebuild “isn’t over,” de facto general manager Sashi Brown told reporters, including Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cleveland has posted a 1-19 record under its current front office and head coach Hue Jackson, but Brown delivered a message of unity (in sharp contrast to reports of discord within the franchise). The Browns will look for their first victory when they face the Jets in Week 5, but Brown stressed that “the growth and development of the roster doesn’t happen overnight.”
The Jets haven’t yet decided whether to activate wide receiver Jalin Marshall — fresh off a four-game PED suspension — before Sunday’s contest, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (Twitter link). New York received a roster exemption for Marshall which expires on Monday, reports Darryl Slater of NJ.com, so the club isn’t forced to make a move until that time. If they do activate Marshall, who is primarily a returner, the Jets will have to create roster space, as they filled their 53-man squad earlier today.
Although rookie running back Dalvin Cook is done for the year after tearing his ACL, a reunion with veteran Adrian Peterson doesn’t make sense for the Vikings, writes Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Minnesota only briefly discussed the possibility of a pay reduction before parting ways with Peterson, so the club likely wanted to forge a new start. Additionally, the Vikings are unlikely to part with a draft pick in order to acquire Peterson from the Saints, especially given that he no longer fits their offense, opines Goessling.
Speaking of potential trades, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com examines several candidates who could be dealt before this year’s NFL trade deadline, noting that new general managers such as Brandon Beane and Chris Ballard seem more open to swaps.