Last time we heard from him, Dak Prescott insisted he had "buried" the ankle injury that cut his 2020 season so short.

NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans Saints All-Pro receiver Michael Thomas is expected to miss the beginning of the 2021 season after he had ankle surgery in June, according to a report from the NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.Thomas sustained a high ankle sprain in the 2020 season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and played intermittently for the rest of the season. He finished the year with 438 yards receiving on 50 catches.His recommended time of recovery is four months, which would line up with him missing at least four games. The Athletic reported that Thomas could miss five games while he recovers.Thomas was not made available to the media during the three days of minicamp in June, but coach Sean Payton said on June 10 that he was present and participating."We're still monitoring it and paying attention to it and scanning it and all those things," Payton said in June about Thomas' ankle. "He's getting treatment and doing the things that are necessary. So far, so good."The news regarding surgery isn't new. It was reported back in January that Thomas would likely need "surgeries" to fix his torn deltoid and the injured ligaments in his ankle.The Saints have a Week 6 idle week, so the team could place him on the regular season's physically unable to perform list if they do believe he'll miss the first five games of the season. Players who begin the regular season on PUP must sit out the first six weeks of the season, and then they have a 21-day window where the player can practice before being brought back to the 53-man roster.The receiver room without Thomas features Tre'Quan Smith, Deonte Harris, Marquez Callaway, Jake Lampman, Lil'Jordan Humphrey, Jalen McCleskey, rookie seventh-round draft pick Kawaan Baker and undrafted rookie Easop Winston.When Thomas was out last season, the Saints had veteran receiver Emmanuel Sanders available to lead the way, pacing the receivers with 726 yards receiving on 61 catches. However, the Saints released Sanders in the offseason due to salary cap constraints. He's on Buffalo's roster now.The top returning receiver in terms of receiving output is fourth-year receiver Smith, who had 448 yards receiving on 50 catches in 14 games. The 2018 third-round draft pick out of UCF is in a contract year.The player who led the team in receiving yards last season was running back Alvin Kamara, who finished the year with 756 yards receiving on 83 catches. The third-most productive pass catcher in 2020 is also no longer with the team, as tight end Jared Cook hit free agency and was not re-signed. Cook, who had 504 yards receiving on 37 catches last year, plays for the Los Angeles Chargers.Before Thomas got hurt last season, the Ohio State product had sky-high expectations. He wanted to best his efforts from 2019, where he was the NFL's offensive player of the year and broke the league's single-season receptions record with 149 catches.The news regarding Thomas is just the latest in disappointing news regarding Saints starters. Last week, starting defensive tackle David Onyemata was suspended for the first six games/seven weeks of the 2021 season after he tested positive for a banned substance.Then, there's cornerback Marshon Lattimore's lingering court case in Cleveland. He was charged with a fourth-degree felony after police found a handgun in his possession during a traffic stop in March was allegedly stolen. There have been no updates in the case.Taking Thomas, Onyemata and Lattimore into consideration, the Saints could very well suit up just 11 of their starters from their 2020 season opener. Quarterback Drew Brees has retired; tight end Josh Hill was released and has since retired; guard Nick Easton was released; defensive end Trey Hendrickson signed with Cincinnati; defensive tackle Malcom Brown was traded to Jacksonville; linebacker Alex Anzalone signed with Detroit; and cornerback Janoris Jenkins was released and now plays for Tennessee.

LAS VEGAS — Preseason accolades are nice and all, but Boise State’s players would prefer to get the postseason honors.

For the first time in two years, the Cowboys conducted a practice in Oxnard, as the start to the 2021 training camp got underway.

Make no mistake, every game is important this fall. But the lid-lifter in Champaign feels "even more important than any other year."

The conference is staying quiet on COVID protocols until collecting member schools' policies in August. 

Frost said he didn't have anything to do with the process of selecting Alberts, adding that he has already met with his new boss "four times."

LAS VEGAS — San Jose State quarterback Nick Starkel told The Idaho Press on Thursday that Boise State cancelling last year’s regular-season game due to COVID-19 issues gave them extra motivation when the two teams met in the Mountain West title game.

Thursday's interviews in Hoover, Alabama, showed just how the second-year coach has influenced Missouri's program.

LAS VEGAS - San Jose State quarterback Nick Starkel told The Idaho Press Thursday at Mountain West Media Days in Las Vegas that  Boise State canceling last year’s regular season game due to COVID-19 issues gave them extra motivation when the two teams met in the Mountain West title game.

LAS VEGAS — Both of Boise State's representatives at Mountain West Media Days Thursday were selected to the preseason All-Mountain West team. 

LAS VEGAS — The message appears to be simple from the Mountain West Conference: Get vaccinated or be ready to pay the price.

At the outset of another training camp, the Dallas Cowboys feel like they're exactly where they should be.

LAS VEGAS — Boise State’s internal conversations about potentially joining the American Athletic Conference — which were uncovered by the Idaho Press and BoiseDev in December in emails via an open records request — apparently didn’t bother Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson.

LAS VEGAS — Death, taxes and the Boise State football team being picked to win its division or conference.

LAS VEGAS — Longtime Boise State donor Allen Noble, whom the athletic hall of fame on campus is named after, died earlier this week at the age of 92.

LAS VEGAS - Death, taxes and the Boise State football team being picked to win its division or conference.

The teams change, but Nick Saban stays the same. The third day of SEC Media Days brought the week's marquee event as the seven-time national championship, reigning national championship winning coach spoke to the media.

LAS VEGAS — The unofficial kickoff of the Andy Avalos era at Boise State arrives Wednesday at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas with his first appearance at Mountain West Media Days.

BOISE — What has been expected for months became official Monday: Boise State will sell alcohol inside the general seating areas of Albertsons Stadium for football games this fall.

The Idaho Press is counting down the 25 biggest questions facing the Boise State football team during the 2021 season. Next up is No. 9: Can the Broncos sell out all six home games?

The last time Southeastern Conference Media Days took place, the world was yet to see its first case of COVID-19, and college athletes weren’t allowed to make money from endorsements. Barry Odom was Missouri’s coach, and much of the Tigers’ preseason hype surrounded new quarterback Kelly Bryant.

The Idaho Press is counting down the 25 biggest questions facing the Boise State football team during the 2021 season. Next up is No. 10: Who will emerge as the No. 3 wide receiver?

Ellison had been with Battle since 2013.

The Idaho Press is counting down the 25 biggest questions facing the Boise State football team during the 2021 season. Next up is No 11: How much will Cyrus Habibi-Likio help in the running game?

Burke Mastel anticipated landing at the NAIA level once he concluded his high school career.

She was nominated for her "outstanding work in athletic competition and in the community."

The Idaho Press is counting down the 25 biggest questions facing the Boise State football team during the 2021 season. Next up is No 12: How will a defensive-minded head coach change things for the Broncos?

NEW ORLEANS — The Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans is no more. The naming rights contract with the German automaker officially ended.

The countdown has dipped below 50 days for Boise State’s marquee season opener in Orlando against UCF on Sept. 2.

The Philadelphia Phillies selected Missouri baseball alum Seth Halvorsen in the 19th round of the MLB Draft on Tuesday.