Panthers' Luke Kuechly: Limited practice Wednesday

Kuechly (concussion) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday, Bryan Strickland of the Panthers' official site reports. "All three [also Kurt Coleman and Daryl Worley] are in the concussion protocol, but being on the practice field means they've moved to the next step," head coach Ron Rivera said. "Tomorrow morning will be very important when they visit with the medical staff."

Analysis:

Rivera seems to be hinting that Kuechly and company are approaching the end of their respective journeys through the concussion protocol. It's unclear if Kuechly himself only requires clearance from an independent neurologist, but his workload Thursday will impart where he stands. In the end, though, he seems poised to miss one fewer game than he did a season ago due to a concussion.