Colts franchise quarterback Andrew Luck returned to practice last week in a limited capacity, but remains highly doubtful to appear in a game this month as he continues a gradual recovery from offseason shoulder surgery.
As reported before the season started, Luck faced weeks of throwing on the side in a measured strength program before he would even be cleared to tread on the practice field, and then would have to progress to being able to throw a full route tree to receivers before he could begin taking meaningful reps with the first-team offense. It will require weeks of sharing reps with starting quarterback Jacoby Brissett before Luck resumes his role atop the depth chart, and that nebulous schedule assumes no setbacks.
Sources said Luck made it through the initial throwing program with no setbacks and the Colts remain very hopeful of him taking over sometime in the second half of the season, but October will be a month of continued rehab and incremental gains as he works his way back into the lineup. Luck threw on Wednesday but not on Thursday -- those are two heavy work days of the Colts practice week -- and the expectation is he will advance to practicing on consecutive days in a limited manner before advancing to doing more in a full practice.
Brissett has been a steadying force after Scott Tolzien struggled mightily in Week 1, and he is in position to continue to quarterback this team into November. There is no true specific timetable on Luck's return on any particular week, but once he is able to string a handful of full practices together without any medical issues, the Colts will be able to focus in more on a return date. That's weeks away at this point.
