New Orleans Saints star wide receiver Michael Thomas is expected to be on the sideline when the 2021 NFL season begins.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Thomas is likely to miss time after undergoing surgery on his ankle in June.

With the recommended recovery time of 4 months, Thomas may not see the field until late September at the earliest, which means he could miss the first few games of the regular NFL season.

The Saints kick off the regular season on Sunday, August 12 against the Green Bay Packers at the Caesars Superdome. They hit the road to play Carolina on September 19 and travel to New England to play the Patriots on September 26.

If the Saints are lucky, Thomas could suit up on Sunday, October 3 when New Orleans hosts the New York Giants. But sources say it could be way longer than that.

Saints are reportedly working out free agent receivers in light of the recent news.

We'll update this story when and if more information becomes available.

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