Colts backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck: 'I don’t expect to play'

• Colts at Texans, 8:25 p.m. Thursday, CBS, NFL

UPDATE, 3:45 P.M.: Andrew Luck told the media, "I'm preparing to start, and to play," after practice Tuesday. Coach Chuck Pagano indicated it would be a gameday decision. Pagano said Luck was limited during a light practice today but took most of the snaps. Hasselbeck did not practice because he was sick.

"I think I've gotten better every day," Luck said. "I don't think I'm necessarily where I'd want to be today in a perfect, perfect world."

UPDATE, 2 P.M.: Colts quarterbacks Andrew Luck and Matt Hasselbeck were not on the field during the 15-minute portion of practice open to the media Tuesday. Alex Tanney, who is on the practice squad, was the only quarterback present. Luck and Hasselbeck likely warmed up in the team's indoor facility, out of view of the media. Luck is expected to address the media around 3:45 p.m.

Vontae Davis, Henry Anderson, Bjoern Werner and Jalil Brown were sitting out practice.

Andrew Luck: 'I'm preparing to start, to play'

ORIGINAL STORY:

The Andrew Luck watch continued Monday, with some of the most encouraging signs yet that the Indianapolis Colts’ Pro Bowl quarterback could return to the lineup after missing Sunday’s game with a right shoulder injury.

Luck participated in the Colts’ rare Monday practice as they began preparation for Thursday’s road game against the Houston Texans.

With players dressed in shorts and ballcaps, Luck tossed the ball lightly but did nothing that could be described as legitimate throwing during the portion of the practice open to reporters. The workout was intended to be more a mental workout than a physical one, as players were still dealing with soreness from Sunday’s game.

But other indications suggest Luck is getting closer. The Colts on Monday released veteran backup quarterback Josh Johnson, who was signed last week as an emergency option behind Matt Hasselbeck.

What has happened to Andre Johnson?

Also Monday, coach Chuck Pagano insisted Luck had made improvement from Saturday, when he last conducted a workout with team officials to gauge his progress.

“He came in and felt really good this morning,” Pagano said. “He felt real good. No setbacks. He’s trending in the right direction.”

Pagano added, “He looked good… A lot better than he was Saturday.”

What coaches saw from Luck on Saturday helped them come to a decision that Luck should sit out Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. They won with Hasselbeck under center and moved to 2-2 as Luck missed a game for the first time in his career.

But the veteran backup does not expect to play in Houston this week.

“I don’t expect to play, but I’ll be ready to play if I’m needed,” Hasselbeck said.

Colts tight end Dwayne Allen: Give playmakers (like me) the football

Asked why he took that position, Hasselbeck responded by saying Houston “is (Luck’) hometown. He doesn’t give me snaps in practice. So, I know that if he can make it happen, he’s going to make it happen. I just have to approach it like, ‘Hey, be ready to go.’ But, again, this is his team and his offense, so that’s what you do: Get ready to play in case. It’s always in case.”

According to reporter Chris Hagan of Indy Sports Central, Luck suffered a partial separation of his throwing shoulder. The report said a primary concern is Luck’s labrum, cartilage that helps keep the shoulder in place.

Asked about the report, Pagano said, “I hadn’t heard that. Sore shoulder is what I heard.”

Shoulder separation, or subluxation, means the ball of the joint slides part way out of the socket, then returns on its own, according to Dr. Scott Lintner, a shoulder expert at OrthoIndy and orthopedic consultant for the Pacers and Fever.

Luck could have subluxated without tearing the labrum, Lintner said. In such cases, the labrum gets scuffed, and that requires rest and strengthening exercises because some sort of muscular injury is generally involved, and it can be painful.

“Basically you work on getting your range of motion back, you work on getting your rotator cuff strengthened 100 percent and then you start working on throwing mechanics to see if a person can throw at velocity like they normally would,” Lintner said.

Pagano said on Sunday that Luck’s lack of arm strength was one of the factors that kept him out of the game.

The Colts had several other core players dealing with injuries on Monday.

Among those who were sidelined during practice: Defensive tackle Henry Anderson (foot), cornerback Vontae Davis (foot), running back Frank Gore (foot), defensive end Kendall Langford (back) and linebacker Jerrell Freeman (groin). Each of those players is considered day to day, Pagano said.

Cornerback Jalil Brown (groin) and linebacker Bjoern Werner (hamstring) have injuries that could keep them out awhile. Pagano described each as week to week.

In an encouraging development, Pagano said starting left cornerback Greg Toler (neck) is cleared to return to action this week against the Texans.

Bradshaw workout

The Colts conducted a workout Monday with veteran running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who was on the Colts’ roster in 2013-2014. Bradshaw finished last season on injured reserve after suffering a broken leg.

He was issued a one-game suspension by the NFL after resolving a marijuana possession case in Ohio during the offseason, but Bradshaw served the suspension as a free agent and could play immediately if signed by the Colts.

The Colts signed cornerback Shaun Prater to take Johnson’s spot on the active roster with Brown dealing with the groin injury.

Star reporter Curt Cavin contributed to this story. Follow Star reporter Stephen Holder on Twitter: @HolderStephen.