INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano confirmed Monday that quarterback Andrew Luck will be held out of practice this week for a third straight week.
Luck, who underwent surgery to his throwing shoulder in January, has been limited to rehab-only activities the last two weeks after experiencing soreness in his shoulder. Colts general manager Chris Ballard said at that time that Luck was going to have a cortisone injection, and hoped it could help expedite Luck's return to the practice field.
Asked Monday if he still believed Luck could play this season, Pagano said "nothing's changed" in that regard. But the team will "exhaust all resources," the head coach said, for "the best interest (of) the player and his long-term" outlook.
"We want the kid healthy," Pagano said of Luck. "And nobody is more frustrated than him."
Luck, who missed the entire offseason workout program, veteran minicamp, training camp and the preseason, as well as the first few weeks of the regular season, was able to practice for the first time in 2017 three weeks ago — albeit in a very limited role — and two weeks ago he faced a live defense for the first time this year, taking a few snaps as the scout team quarterback in 7-on-7 drills.
Two weeks ago, Ballard said he didn't want to "put a timeline" on a possible Luck return, and that the team had no thoughts of placing Luck on Injured Reserve to open up a roster spot.
The Colts have gone 2-6 so far in 2017 in Luck's absence. Veteran backup Scott Tolzien got the start in Indianapolis' Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, while second-year quarterback Jacoby Brissett — acquired in a Sept. 2 trade from the New England Patriots — has started each game since, and has completed 145-of-240 passes (60.4 percent) for 1,642 yards with five touchdowns to four interceptions, and has also ran the ball 32 times for 135 yards and three scores.
