Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly in cleats, not helmet, on Wednesday

Luke Kuechly’s latest step in the concussion protocol had him in gloves and cleats on the practice field Wednesday.

The next step will have him in pads and a helmet.

The Carolina Panthers’ All-Pro middle linebacker did more Wednesday on the practice field than he has since suffering a concussion in the first half of a Week 1 victory at Jacksonville. But there’s still no indication whether Kuechly will play this week against the Saints.

“That’s part of his protocol that he’s going through with the trainers right now just to see where he is,” Panthers coach Ron Rivera said. “Again, he’s taken a stride but he’s still in the protocol.”

Kuechly’s appears to still be in the second stage of the protocol, which calls for light exercise and non-contact drills. On Wednesday, wearing a ball cap rather than a helmet, Kuechly ran to each linebacker drill and hit the blocking dummies during the portion of practice open to the media.

Kuechly has been in the league-mandated protocol since an awkward, head-first hit in the second quarter of the Sept. 13 game against the Jaguars left him concussed. Last week he split his time inside with the trainers and off to the side on the practice field before being ruled out on Saturday for Sunday’s game against the Texans.

In his place has been A.J. Klein, a third-year player who has registered 10 tackles, one tackle for loss and an interception in his six quarters as Kuechly’s replacement.

Klein said his preparation this week is just like it was last week, which means he’s preparing as if he’s going to start and play.

“Obviously he wants to be out there,” Klein said of Kuechly. “I know he’s champing at the bit to be out there and get back on the field. When we see him out there running around it definitely helps. I know he’s excited to get back and everybody on the team wants him to get back.”

At times during last week’s victory over Houston, the Panthers used Thomas Davis as the middle linebacker with Shaq Thompson as the other linebacker in obvious passing situations. Houston threw the ball 58 times last week; New Orleans has a pass-heavy offense, as well.

In order for Kuechly to play this week, he will have to be cleared by the team doctors as well as an independent neurologist.

This story was originally published September 23, 2015 at 5:04 PM with the headline "Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly in cleats, not helmet, on Wednesday."