The idea of Andrew Luck leaving the Colts was once a far fetched idea but gains more substance with the way the Colts have been performing this season.
Andrew Luck was a stud coming out of Stanford, and was rightfully taken number one overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. Hailed as a future league MVP, and Hall of Famer many declared the Luck would go down as one of the greatest of all time. While the team has improved overall each season Luck’s QBR has fallen each season. With the Colts sitting at 3-5 halfway through the 2015 season, many are wondering if Luck’s time in Peyton Manning’s old stomping ground is running out?
As I am writing this Andrew Luck and the Colts are facing the Carolina Panthers in a Monday Night Football showdown. Through the first half, Luck has fumbled the ball and has thrown an interception, bringing his season total for turnovers to 9 interceptions in just 5 games. While many predicted that Luck and Colts would take the next step and contend for a Super Bowl title, the exact opposite has happened. It seems that Chuck Pagano’s time in Indianapolis is coming to an end, is a change of scenery, perhaps to Arizona, for Andrew Luck in the cards (no pun intended)?
I acknowledge that the chance of this happening is very low, it’s still possible. Many fans and analysts are taking note of Luck’s poor play especially with the additions of veteran weapons in Andre Johnson and Frank Gore. If the Colts decide to let Andrew Luck leave, very unlikely I know, is it possible that he reunites with his former offensive coordinator/head coach Bruce Arians in the desert?
Luck is a free agent in 2017 and will still be in the prime of his career at age 28. If Luck does in fact become a free agent the Arizona Cardinals should be the first team he visits. During his whole career in Indianapolis Luck has been plagued with the lack of an offensive line, an established run game and lack of weapons. In Arizona, Andrew Luck would get all of that, and the added bonus of Bruce Arians being his coach.
Bruce Arians was Luck’s offensive coordinator during his rookie and is part of the reason why Luck is playing so well in his NFL career (2015 season not included). With Luck’s performance so far this, one has to think whether he has reached his peak. I say no, and there’s no one better than the quarterback whisperer Bruce Arians to bring Luck’s career back on track.
More from Raising Zona
- Are the Arizona Cardinals looking to add more coaching candidates?
- One bad thing that may come from Arizona Cardinals hiring Mike Kafka
- 5 big mistakes that doomed the Arizona Cardinals in 2022
- Brian Flores may have known Arizona Cardinals weren’t sincere
- 5 difficult decisions Arizona Cardinals must make this offseason
But what about Carson Palmer? Palmer will be 38 by the time the 2017 off season, and my hunch gives me the feeling that Palmer will happily retire by 2017 for two reasons. The first being that he no longer can/wants to play the game and the second being that he’ll have won a Super Bowl. Retiring is always easier if you’ve won the big one.
While nothing can say for certain that Palmer will retire or that Luck doesn’t find a way to turn it around with the Colts. There’s always a chance. Who knows, in three years we may be seeing Luck throw touchdown bombs to John Brown on Sunday Night Football against the Seahawks. The idea is not as unimaginable as it once was.