Colts 2016 player preview: Quarterback Andrew Luck

The Indianapolis Colts will report to training camp on July 26 with their 90-man roster, which will be cut down to 53 players by the end of the preseason.  To pass the time until camp, we're taking a look at every player on the Colts' 90-man roster.  Today, we're looking at quarterback Andrew Luck.

Who is he?

This might be the easiest player preview of them all.  Andrew Luck is the Colts' unquestioned franchise quarterback and will remain in that role for many years to come.  He has already enjoyed a lot of success in the NFL since being drafted first overall in 2012, as he has thrown for 14,838 yards and 101 touchdowns against 55 interceptions while completing 58.1% of his passes, while he has also added 1,101 yards and 12 touchdowns rushing (averaging 5 yards per carry).  Luck has carried a roster that has been average to below average during his tenure, leading the Colts to three playoff berths in four years.  It's easy to forget that just a season ago the Colts made the AFC Championship game after a year in which Luck set a franchise record with 4,761 yards and led the NFL with 40 touchdowns -€” becoming just the seventh player in league history to top 4,750 yards and 40 touchdowns in the same year.  The reason it's easy to forget that is because last year was a disastrous one for Luck all around.   He struggled through injuries, missing nine games and very likely playing injured in others.  He also struggled through poor, turnover-plagued play, throwing 15 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions, turning the football over 13 times total in seven games.  It wasn't all bad (Luck was still on pace for a 4,299 yard, 34 touchdown season when stretched out to 16 games), but his turnovers were a major concern.

What is his role?

Once again, this one is as easy as it gets: Andrew Luck is the Colts' starting quarterback.  Earlier this offseason Chuck Pagano joked that only one position on the roster was locked up already, and he was referring to Luck.  Regardless of his struggles a year ago, there is absolutely zero doubt about the fact that Luck is the team's franchise quarterback and will be for the foreseeable future.  Of course, because of that the team's hopes will obviously depend to a large degree on how Luck plays, so the team needs him to rebound in 2016.  Since he's healthy (and with an improved offensive line), there's plenty of reason to think that 2015 was simply an aberration rather than the level of expectation moving forward.

What are his chances?

He'll make the roster, start a lot of games, and probably play well while doing so.