Chris Ballard: Andrew Luck out to Prove Doubters Wrong, Is Top 5 Among QBs

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said this week quarterback Andrew Luck is on a mission to prove doubters wrong after missing the entire 2017 NFL season with a lingering shoulder injury.

Ballard told Alex Marvez on SiriusXM NFL Radio that Luck is making slow progress in his recovery with hope he'll be "ready to roll come training camp."

"I think he's got a little bit of a chip on his shoulder to prove some people and naysayers wrong," Ballard said. "That's a beautiful thing with a quarterback that I think is top five in this league."

The 28-year-old Stanford product ranked ninth in the NFL with a 96.4 passer rating during the 2016 campaign. He completed 63.5 percent of his throws for 4,240 yards with 31 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 15 games. He also added two rushing scores.

Luck looked every bit the part of a franchise quarterback. He underwent shoulder surgery in January 2017, however, and never recovered enough to make it back on the field last season.

Last month, Luck told reporters he was "confident" he'll finally complete the extended rehab process and said he was "excited" about the direction of the franchise.

"If I wasn't making progress, it would freak me out and we would have to change something," he said. "But I am."

Indianapolis made a concerted effort in the draft to improve the offensive line that will be in charge of keeping Luck upright upon his return. It selected Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson in the first round and Auburn guard Braden Smith in the second.

Quarterback is the NFL's most important position. A healthy Luck would move the Colts, who went 4-12 without him last season, right back into the playoff conversation.

Questions will remain about his status until he's back on the field, though. Any further setbacks would likely sink Indy again and raise legitimate concerns about his long-term outlook.