No sign of Carolina Panthers’ Luke Kuechly at Wednesday’s practice

Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera hoped the team would get good news Tuesday on middle linebacker Luke Kuechly.

But it appears the news was more of the same for Kuechly, who is into his third week in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

Kuechly missed practice again Wednesday, two days after Rivera expressed optimism about the possibility of Kuechly returning this week.

Rivera said Monday he thought Kuechly was scheduled to see the independent neurologist Tuesday, the final step in the protocol before a player can return to practice or a game.

On Wednesday a much more terse Rivera would not say whether Kuechly had been to the independent doctor.

“I’m not the doctor. I’m the football coach and I’m an optimistic guy,” Rivera said. “And I go through this procedure just like he is.”

Rivera said there has been no major change in Kuechly’s condition and he’s not concerned Kuechly’s concussion might end his season.

“If there had been something like that, that (new) probably would’ve been out,” Rivera said. “We’re just going through the protocol and whatever happens with the protocol happens. It’s a process we have to follow.”

Kuechly sustained a concussion late in the first half of a Week 1 win at Jacksonville when he had an awkward, head-first hit on Jaguars running back T.J. Yeldon.

Kuechly did some light exercising but did not participate in practices last week. He was on the sideline for the Panthers’ Week 3 win against New Orleans.

A.J. Klein, the third-year linebacker who replaced Kuechly, ranks second behind outside linebacker Thomas Davis (31 tackles) with 25 stops.

This story was originally published September 30, 2015 at 12:59 PM with the headline "No sign of Carolina Panthers’ Luke Kuechly at Wednesday’s practice."