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INDIANAPOLIS -- Quarterback Andrew Luck has a message for any Indianapolis Colts fans who may be stressing out over his absence from the start of the team's training camp practices. "I would say there is no reason to freak out," Luck said Saturday when the team's veteran players reported for the start of camp.
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The Colts' sixth-year quarterback underwent right shoulder surgery in January and has not thrown a ball much since undergoing the medical procedure. Luck sat out Indianapolis' OTA and spring minicamps and has been placed on the team's training camp PUP list.
While there is still hope that he will be in the starting lineup for the team's Sept. 10 season opener against the Los Angeles Rams, there is still no official timetable for his possible return.
With that being said, Luck remains optimistic about facing the Rams at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
"I will be better than I was coming into (the surgery). I'll be better coming out of it. I know that. I don't know what day it's going to be. I don't know what week. I don't know when it's going to be. But I definitely will be (back)," he stressed.
"There's no reason to freak out. Football is the greatest team game in the world. No one person is bigger than the team and I've always felt that. I know we've got a solid, solid team that's forming (during camp). So there's no reason to freak out."
General manager Chris Ballard said last week that Luck has begun the throwing part of his rehab process. The Colts' quarterback said that he is taking things slow.
"There was no revelation. There was no a-ha moment. It was just another part of the process. I don't want to put any more stock in it than any other part of this rehab process," he said. "It's a step. It's gotten better every day. And hopefully we can keep taking the next steps."
And those steps are sure to be slow and steady. Colts officials have no plans to push the rehab process.
"Yeah, I think it's (to) continue on this throwing progression and continue to get stronger and continue to get comfortable in all positions," Luck insisted.
It's a day-to-day process for the quarterback and his rehab group.
"It's hard for me to look beyond (each day's) rehab session because I think that's the approach I have to take and anybody has to take if you want to get truly healthy and if you want to get better than you were before an injury," he said.
"So my focus has really been, 'OK, how can I get better than I was yesterday?' And I think that's been positive so far. I don't want to change that approach just because training camp has started or practice is going."
Meanwhile, when it comes to Luck, first-year general manager Chris Ballard likes how the quarterback's rehab has progressed over the last several months.
"I want to make this perfectly clear. Andrew has not had any setbacks at all in his rehab process or with his surgery," he said. "He is in good shape. He's positive. We're going to follow the doctor's orders and the rehab process."
Ballard reiterated that there is no official timetable for Luck to return to practice.
"This is a process. We've not put a timetable on this for a reason," Ballard explained. "There's a process with his rehab and his health and long-term process, like it is with every player we have.
"It's paramount that we go through a process and we continue to follow that process to make sure we're getting them back to where they are healthy and can perform on the field at a high level."
Ballard revealed that Luck has started his throwing program as part of his rehab.
"Andrew has got to work on getting his throwing motion back, all his strength back," he said. "All of that is just part of the process that both his doctor and our trainers have set for him.
"We're exactly where I thought we were going to be at this time. He's not had any setbacks at all and he's making good process. His weight is up, he's starting to get all his strength back. Like with any injury with any player, it just takes time."
ROOKIE TO WATCH
--RB Marlon Mack. The Colts are looking to find a possible long-term replacement for veteran running back Frank Gore. While Gore is coming off a 1,000-yard rushing season and has shown no signs of slowing down, he will be 34 when the regular season gets underway. Mack, taken in the fourth round of last spring's draft, will be given every opportunity to show what he can do during camp and in the preseason. He will also get a shot to return kicks.
