Colts GM says Andrew Luck will start training camp on the PUP list

Luck is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery

Andrew Luck has begun throwing again, but he's still going to start training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. That's what new Colts GM Chris Ballard said Monday, in advance of the team opening camp later this week. 

Colts GM Chris Ballard says QB Andrew Luck will open training camp on PUP list.

— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) July 24, 2017

Luck had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his shoulder earlier this offseason, and did not participate in minicamp. The Colts have been uncertain about whether or not he would be ready for the start of camp, and it appears he will not be. Ballard, though, maintains that Luck is actually right on schedule in his recovery, and not behind. 

Ballard no surprises in Luck's recovery. "We're exactly where I thought we'd be at this time." QB gaining weight, regaining strength. #Colts

— George Bremer (@gmbremer) July 24, 2017

That aligns closely with what Colts owner Jim Irsay said earlier this offseason. "Andrew is healing tremendously," Irsay said in June. "This (surgery) has been a positive thing, not a negative thing or anything like that. He was really struggling going through the process of being ready to play (for each week last season).

"This was, quite frankly, not that complicated of a surgery. This was a simple labrum repair. There are a lot of other things that could have been involved with this surgery that weren't."

Luck going on the PUP list for the start of camp is not the end of the world. He can be taken off the list any time before Week 1 and still be eligible to play in every regular season game. If he starts the regular season on the PUP list, however, he would not be eligible to play until the Colts' seventh game of the season. That would present major problems for the Colts, who are extremely dependent on Luck for their offensive success.