In the most shocking turn of events this offseason (including the trade of Odell Beckham Jr. to Cleveland), the Indianapolis Colts have gone from the team that could sneak up on us this year to likely picking a franchise quarterback first overall next April for the third time in the last 25 years.
Teams just a few years ago wondered if they had enough assets to trade for Luck, who was recovering from shoulder surgery that made him miss the entire 2017 season. Luck rebounded to win the NFL's Comeback Player Of The Year Award last season, tossing 39 touchdowns and over 4,200 yards. The Colts went 10-6 to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Luck to date has missed all of Colts' training camp with a mysterious leg injury. The former Stanford two-time Heisman Trophy runner-up (2010 - Cam Newton and 2011 - Robert Griffin III) now falls into the conversation of how good he really could have been had he not been injury-prone.
If I'm considering four Pro Bowl appearances in six season as "good," then "good" is pretty damn great.
You cannot ignore that Luck was sacked 174 times in his six seasons. Playing a total of 86 games, this comes to an average of two sacks a game. Twice Luck was sacked 41 times (his rookie season of 2012 and again in 2016). Despite playing only seven games in 2015, Luck's Colts never finished below .500 in any season he suited up at least once.
Now with two weeks left until the start of the regular season the Colts have to go from promise to the worst possible outcome they could hope for. Jacoby Brissett was supposed to be the heir apparent in New England. After Luck's injury the Colts made a deal with their long-time rivals to bring in any able body they could to man the ship for a year.
A 4-12 season with a star on the shelf is like being in a submarine and the rudder is jammed for resurfacing.
Remember that the Colts actually traded Peyton Manning to make room for Luck to man the reins from day one.
Damn that 2011 season was brutal. You had 10 teams finish with double-digit losses, the St. Louis Rams sold the #2 pick to Washington so the Redskins could draft RG3, and the threat of a lockout looming when training camps should have been opening.
You hate to see a great career cut short due to injury in any sport. NFL players are retiring just a few years into their career now, but none this monumental. This one is going to reverberate throughout the sports world for weeks, not just days. You will see ESPN, CBS Sports HQ and Fox Sports one leading off their respective newscasts with this story as Breaking News tonight and tomorrow. Every national pundit will weigh in with some jargon that will make you want to punch your TV or computer screen.
Possibly in a year or two with his body fully healed up you could see Luck sign on in an emergency situation for a one-year deal. I certainly would not rule the door completely closed on a return down the road, but you can bet your ass it will not be in Indianapolis.
Try not to boo the face of your franchise when the news breaks during the fourth quarter of a home preseason game as he is leaving the field able to walk away on his own.
Stay classy Colt fans.
-JC24