Ranking top 5 NFL quarterbacks coming into the 2019 season
2. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
About a year and a half ago, Andrew Luck didn’t even know if a football career was in his future. He was coming off shoulder surgery after which rehab, complications and a cautious approach by the Indianapolis Colts caused him to miss the entire 2017 season. Luck was able to get himself back on the field in 2018, though, and many were pleased to see him perform at a high level the entire year.
Luck played exquisitely last season, helping the Colts go from 1-5 after six games to finishing 10-6. Luck finished top five in the NFL in passing yards (4,593) and second in completions (430). His 39 touchdowns were second-best in the league behind Patrick Mahomes.
His exceptional play earned the Comeback Player of the Year Award,and he was in discussion for MVP the majority of the year. He helped the Colts get in the postseason, getting them past their division rival in the Houston Texans in the Wild Card Round before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round.
Luck had an offseason where he didn’t have to worry about rehab or any major injury, which is a first in a few years. That means he was able to polish his game and become more comfortable in Frank Reich’s offensive playbook and scheme.
That precious time working on the physical and mental part of his game is going to pay off big time for the Stanford product. He did have a calf strain, which caused him to miss spring workouts, but it was for precautionary reasons and the Colts said themselves the injury is minor. Luck is full go for training camp and that is what really matters.
What’s even better for Luck is that most of his skill players are returning, along with some new additions as well. Devin Funchess signed with Indianapolis, which provides a big target for Luck to utilize in red-zone situations. Deon Cain is planning to make his debut after recovering from an ACL injury, which gives luck a shifty slot receiver he can throw to. Parris Campbell was a second-round draft pick and he can be used as a receiver or running back.
Eric Ebron is coming back, who caught 13 touchdowns last season. T.Y. Hilton is still there as well and he and Luck have quietly been one of the more dominant duos in the NFL. Put all this together with a really good offensive line and a running back corprs that can both run and catch, and it smells like a potential MVP year for Luck.
At 29 years old, Luck is entering the precious “prime years” of his NFL career. He has experience in the league which helps him mentally when analyzing defenses. He needs to limit his turnovers though, as he had 15 interceptions last season. It’s likely he knows this and put a lot of time into his accuracy and decision making in the offseason. If Luck can turn some of those picks into touchdowns, that would be great for the Colts.
Luck has all the pieces for him to explode next year. He has always been seen as one of the top quarterbacks but this is the year he makes that jump and joins the elite club of quarterbacks permanently. There are no excuses for Luck this year. If he handles his business and tears apart opposing defenses, he won’t have to worry about excuses.