Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly is listed as doubtful for Sunday’s game with the New Orleans Saints. It’s the same designation the Panthers gave Kuechly last Friday before they downgraded him to out 24 hours later.

When asked if this week’s timeline could look similar to Week 2, coach Ron Rivera said:

“Yeah, more than likely. He saw the doctor; he’s progressing, but he’s still in the protocol.”

Kuechly, who suffered a concussion 12 days ago against the Jaguars, hasn’t yet advanced to the stage where he’s allowed to wear a helmet in non-contact drills.

During the portion of Friday’s practice open to the media, he wore a baseball cap while going through ‘light exercise,’ just like he spent the previous two practices.

That Kuechly appears in line to miss a second game doesn’t necessarily make his condition more serious than it was on day one. His recovery timeline is in line with most who go through the league’s much-needed protocol, which was implemented in 2013.

Because each case is so different, it’s impossible to predict how quickly a player will recover. But that hasn’t stopped reporters, and plenty of other folks around Rivera, from asking when he expects his Pro Bowl linebacker to return.

“Oh, are you kidding? I got wore out,” Rivera said.

“The thing I try to make sure everybody understands is I don’t determine it and I’m just doing as we are alerted. And [head trainer Ryan Vermillion] and our doctors along with the neurosurgeon that we have and then the independent, they all have to agree.

“Until we’re given the all-clear, we’re just going to continue through the process.”