Blue-chip young quarterback Andrew Luck is entering the final year of his rookie deal, which has many expecting the Indianapolis Colts will sign him to a long-term extension before 2017 arrives. That makes some sense because the Colts clearly aren’t going to let Luck come close to free agency, especially considering we now live in an age in which quarterbacks like Brock Osweiler and Sam Bradford are worth more than $17 million per year.
With that in mind, it wasn’t even surprising to hear Colts owner Jim Irsay suggest earlier this year that he’d like to have a deal done with Luck by July 4, and that said deal would be “shocking.”
@JimIrsay also told @KBowenColts @HolderStephen and @MikeWellsNFL that we hope to have a new contract done with Andrew Luck by July 4th.
— avis roper (@RoperPR1) March 22, 2016
But wouldn’t both sides be better served waiting until Luck has had a chance to redeem himself in the fall? It’s nice that the Colts are extremely confident in Luck despite the fact the 2012 No. 1 overall pick struggled with injuries and a lack of effectiveness in 2015, but you’d think they’d want to be perfectly sure that the 2015 season was an anomaly.
It’s concerning that Luck had the lowest qualified completion percentage in football last season, even if he started just seven games. And the fact he missed more than half the season is also a tad troubling. There’s a very good chance he’ll get back on track in 2016, but we’re talking about a nine-figure investment. Why not be sure? And if he does deliver, you can give him that “shocking” deal or fall back on the franchise tag (for several years in a row if need be).
Meanwhile, if you’re Luck you’re betting on yourself bouncing back, which also makes sense considering how well you played in 2012, 2013 and 2014. There’s a good chance Luck’s value will increase slightly this season, and there’s little risk associated with waiting.
It just seems odd to strike a long-term deal after an off year. The two sides should chill and let Luck reestablish himself in the fall.
