Will, should, Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas play against the Colts?

Demaryius Thomas told the media Thursday that he plans on being in pads when the Denver Broncos take the field Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts.

Obviously, it’s up to head athletic trainer Steve “Greek” Antonopulos and the Denver coaching staff, but Thomas said he feels “a lot better than yesterday” and he thinks he’ll “be fine.”

Head coach Gary Kubiak said he was pleased at Thomas’ progression from early on in the week, saying he took about the same amount of reps in practice but they had a little more significance.

“He ran really well today, and particular things that we do for him, we try to script him the right way, so that he’s those reps and not have him wasting running in other areas,” Kubiak said.

“We’re just trying to be smart with him.”

But should the Broncos, with perhaps the deepest wide receiver group Kubiak said he’s coached, take it easy with D.T.?

Mark Schlereth, live from ESPN headquarter in Bristol, Connecticut, Thursday, said on “Schlereth and Evans” that if it were him playing, he’d do whatever he needed to get ready for Sunday.

“For me, I’m playing. Regardless. That is the way I approach the game,” Schlereth said. “I’m going to play. I don’t care what you have to do. I’m not afraid of the needle. Shoot me up. Do whatever I need to do.”

However, the “father” in him, Schlereth said, would advise Thomas to “shut it down” if his hip needs healing.

Said Schlereth: “I haven’t seen the MRIs. Even if I saw them, I wouldn’t know what I was looking at. I don’t know what his hip feels like. I don’t know what the doctors are saying. But just my experience would tell me if that thing is serious and you’re saying, ‘Hey, we can manage it for the season by shooting it up with cortisone,’ you’re going down a very slippery slope, and that could create further damage for the rest of your career.”

ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter told the show Thursday that it’s not so much a question if Thomas will play but how effective he’ll be if he does.

“I just don’t think he’s going to be right for a little bit of time here,” Schefter said. “Now, maybe he’s still going to be good enough to make plays and produce and be a factor … but he’s got a hurt hip right now.”

Schefter said he knows Thomas won’t be operating at full strength, and that’s a problem with the sport: There’s no time to properly heal.

“There’s not time to rest and get well. It’s just not how it works. There’s another game the next week,” Schefter said.

And there won’t be an extended time to rest for the Broncos, as the team’s bye in 2016 comes after Week 10.

Follow 104.3 The Fan digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @johnnyhart7.