Saints All-Pro WR Michael Thomas out for Bears game

Stop us if you're heard this one before: The New Orleans Saints won't have All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas on the field over the weekend. 

New Orleans confirmed on Friday that the 27-year-old remains sidelined due to the hamstring/ankle injury that he's routinely battled this fall and won't play against the Chicago Bears on Sunday. Thomas hasn't been in the lineup since he suffered a high ankle sprain in the season-opening victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 13, and that setback began a frustrating campaign for the 2019 Offensive Player of the Year. 

Thomas missed games against the Las Vegas Raiders, Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions because of the initial injury. He was on pace to return for the "Monday Night Football" matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 12 but was pulled from that game by coach Sean Payton following an altercation that reportedly included Thomas punching teammate Chauncey Gardner-Johnson.

Payton planned for Thomas' return after the bye week, but the playmaker tweaked his hamstring during a practice and was ruled out for last Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers that New Orleans won 27-24. 

Running back Alvin Kamara leads the Saints in catches (46), receiving yards (460) and targets (53), and he is tied for the team lead in touchdown grabs (3). 

Friday's news will do little to silence rumors that the Saints want Thomas as healthy as possible so they can shop him ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline. Earlier this week, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported it's unlikely New Orleans will trade Thomas before the deadline, however.