The Colts are taking a painstakingly deliberate approach to Andrew Luck's shoulder rehabilitation this offseason, but there's reason for more optimism this summer than last.
After speaking with team sources, NFL Network's Charley Casserly reported on Friday's edition of Rookie Camp Live that the Colts are "very confident" Luck will be ready for training camp in late July.
"There is no question in their mind that he will open training camp throwing the football," Casserly added. "Right now, they're being conservative. He's throwing a weighted ball. That's where they are right now, but he's going to start training camp. They're totally confident in that."
Luck is healthy enough to participate in offseason practices, but he's learned the importance of adhering to a strict schedule after missing the entire 2017 season due to the shoulder injury.
It's been evident for some time, however, that the Colts are counting on the face of the franchise to be fully healthy and capable of withstanding the pounding once the season starts.
Sitting down with Around The NFL Podcast at the Annual League Meeting in late March, new coach Frank Reich was so confident that Luck would "ready to go" that he expressed hope the teams selecting ahead of Indianapolis would target quarterbacks with the first five picks in last month's draft.
"You plan that he's going to be there [for Week 1]," Reich said. "All the rehab is checking off all the boxes: Yep, we hit that stage. Stage one, stage two, stage three. It's all been good. We'll just have to keep progressing on down that road."
Luck's status is one of the stories most worth monitoring this summer.
He's not expected to air it out in OTAs and mandatory minicamp over the next month. If he's not a full participant when camp opens, though, it will be time to dust off the red flags for the Colts' 2018 season.
