National Football League

Colts pick up Andrew Luck's 2016 option

Published Apr. 9, 2015 3:20 p.m. ET

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By Vincent Frank

In less-than-surprising news, the Indianapolis Colts have picked up the 2016 option on quarterback Andrew Luck.

Luck, who agreed to a four-year, $22.1 million contract with Indianapolis after being selected No. 1 overall in 2012, is looking for a long-term deal that would make him the highest-paid player in the league.

However, it doesn’t appear said extension is on the table this year. Instead, Indianapolis decided to pick up the $16-plus million option on Luck’s deal for the 2016 season.

Barring an extension that pays him more over the next two years, Luck’s rookie deal will end up being just north of $38 million over five seasons.

The deal was somewhat predetermined based on the rookie wage scale that was implemented during the 2011 Collective Bargaining Agreement. Though, he’s slated to earn a lot more than that on his first veteran deal.

The former Stanford standout has put up one of the best early-career performances for a quarterback in league history. He’s coming off a 2014 campaign that saw him tally 4,761 yards and a league-high 40 touchdowns. He’s also led the Colts to the playoffs in each of his first three seasons with the team.

Picking up Luck’s option was a formality. If the Colts had declined the $16 million option, their franchise quarterback would have been a free agent following the upcoming season. And short of striking a long-term deal, that would have led the team to place the franchise tag on him—a tag that’s going to be worth a lot more than $16 million.

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