Getting the Luck Back?

What happens when your franchise is built entirely around a talented franchise quarterback but lacks talent around him?  The Colts figured out what that looks like once again in 2017 as they lost quarterback Andrew Luck for the entire season.  A 4-12 season featuring one of the worst offenses and defenses in the league spoke to the talent level of the rest of the team when Luck is not on the field.

Luck's 4,240 passing yards and 31 touchdowns in 2016 did a lot to cover up the obvious deficiencies on the team, especially the defense.  The Colts finished with the 30th ranked defense in 2016, and while they gave up fewer yards in 2017, they still ranked 30th overall in defense.

In steps former Kansas City Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard, who takes over as the Colts general manager and must now find talented players to add to the roster.  The mission remains the same: take as much pressure off of Andrew Luck in order to prolong his career and give the team a shot at winning a championship.  That's done by drafting and signing talented players to the roster.

The Colts hold the 3rd overall pick in the upcoming draft and have plenty of cap space which will allow the team to be active this offseason.  Landing four to five starters, including a couple of franchise building blocks, should be the goal given the status of the roster.  

Of course, the return of a healthy Andrew Luck accelerates the entire process of competing for a playoff birth.

Offensive Ranking: 31st

Defensive Ranking: 30th

Key Free Agents:  

Jack Mewhort - G - A solid guard in the NFL when he can stay healthy.  Has finished the last two seasons on injured reserve.

Frank Gore - RB - Has rushed for over 14,000 yards over his 13 season career.  Rushed for 961 yards in 2017, but averaged just 3.7 yards per carry.  

Donte Moncrief - WR - Caught 26 passes last season and has yet to match his numbers of 2015 when he played with a healthy Andrew Luck.

Pierre Desir - CB - Started six game in 2017 and recorded seven passes defensed.

Adam Vinatieri - K - Whether he plays in 2018 will be entirely up to him.  Produced another solid season in 2017 by hitting a respectable 85% of his kicks.