ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Running back Phillip Lindsay returned to practice Thursday as he took the next step in the concussion protocol.

Lindsay, who suffered his injury in the first half of the Broncos' Week 7 game against the Chiefs, participated in the team's stretching period and in non-contact individual drills.

"What he did today was just normal routine," Head Coach Vic Fangio said after practice. That's part of the concussion protocol. They let him go out on Thursday and do football drills by [himself] and then tomorrow, if he's still making good progress, they'll let him partake in some practice. They still probably don't make their decision [on whether to clear him] until Saturday."

Lindsay carried the ball nine times for 79 yards against the Chiefs and had three carries of at least 14 yards.

"I thought he had some good runs in the previous game, but still on some other runs he looked rusty," Fangio said of Lindsay. "I thought he left some yards on the table out there two games ago, and I thought he was pretty damn close to being back to normal this past Sunday."

Tackle Demar Dotson (not injury related) and defensive end Shelby Harris (illness) also returned to practice, and both players were full participants.

Wide receivers Tim Patrick (hamstring) and Diontae Spencer (shoulder) did not practice for the second consecutive day.

And while Von Miller hasn't practiced since late in training camp, he turned heads Thursday as he arrived at practice without a boot on his injured ankle.

"I was surprised to see him without the boot, also," Fangio said. "In fact, I went over to him — because I believe it was yesterday that he told me he was going to have to have the boot on until next Wednesday or Thursday. Then when I saw him without the boot on, I asked him about it and he said that they told him he's making good progress — still a long ways away — and they told him he could go out there without the boot, but he still couldn't do anything obviously."

Miller remains on IR, but the team hasn't ruled out a possible return late in the season.