Colts giving fans hope on Andrew Luck

Colts fans may have heard this before, but the team is encouraged about Andrew Luck’s recovery. In fact, they have a new timetable for his return.

It’s possible that Indianapolis’ most important player could return to the field in time for training camp. General manager Chris Ballard is adamant that the organization doesn’t want to “rush” a return for their franchise quarterback, but he also says that Luck looks “the best” he’s seen him during his tenure.

You can understand Colts fans if they are a little skeptical about this new information. The team thought Luck would return in time for training camp last season as well. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out well for the talented signal caller or his team.

To his credit, Ballard understands the skepticism about his star quarterback. He “doesn’t blame the people for asking questions.” The fact that the Colts repeatedly promised Luck’s return last season and fans never saw it materialize has obviously sown serious seeds of skepticism inside the team’s fanbase. Ballard knows that some fans won’t believe Luck’s return until they actually see him on the field.

There is a significant reason to believe this recovery could be different though. Luck is adamant that he wants to approach this recovery from shoulder surgery the right way. Ballard believes it’s possible his star tried to “skip a step” last time around.” The Colts and Luck are both committed to make sure that doesn’t happen this time around.

That’s precisely why Luck hasn’t even thrown a football yet. On one hand, that’s a discouraging sign for fans who want to see him ready to go on Week 1. On the other, it’s a clear indication that the team is giving him sufficient time to recover. It’s not going to help anyone if Luck rushes onto the field at anything less than 100 percent.

Next: Colts fans should be encouraged to see Andrew Luck return to practice

In the end, Colts fans should take this news as moderately encouraging. It’s not a surefire sign that Luck is going to return to Pro Bowl form in 2018, but it does mean his recovery his on schedule. His chances of getting healthy are pretty good. The question of whether or not he can stay healthy is still an entirely different matter.