By all accounts, quarterback Andrew Luck looked like his old self during the Indianapolis Colts' evening practice on Sunday night.
Reporters and fans alike at the Colts' night session went gaga over the quarterback's play in the team's fourth training camp practice.
Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star noted that Luck made a slew of pinpoint deep tosses, several to longtime favorite target T.Y. Hilton. According to Keefer, Luck's play "offered no hints whatsoever that his surgically-repaired throwing shoulder isn't capable of vintage Andrew Luck throws."
Normally, noting practice performances during training camp isn't worth squat. However, since Luck has been dealing with the shoulder issue since 2015, sat out the entire 2017 campaign and missed most of this offseason's workouts, his progress is notable.
We can take with a grain of salt that Keefer charted Luck going 19-of-22 passing for two TDs and no INTs, given that it was in practice against what could be one of the worst secondaries in the NFL. Even with that caveat, it's worth noting the types of throws Luck was making, notably pushing the ball down the field, which indicates his arm strength is returning.
Speaking before Sunday night's practice, Luck said he hasn't had any significant issues during training camp.
"No pain," Luck said earlier Sunday. "Soreness, tiredness, for sure, and stresses on my arm that are different. [There are] stresses, shoot, on everybody's body at this camp that are different."
Coach Frank Reich also sees Luck rounding back into form.
"There have been four or five throws that have been like, 'Oh yeah, that looks 100 percent like normal,'" Reich said. "Then there have been one or two that we just need to work through and continue to get better."
Sunday night's performance is a baby step on the path to returning, but it's an important one. How he feels this week will be another baby step -- the Colts have Monday off before Luck returns to throwing Tuesday and Wednesday. And the preseason opener on Aug. 9 will be the next phase in the process.
Barring a setback, it appears Luck is well on his way to finally returning to the football field in games that matter.
