Michael Hoomanawanui made the leap from expendable to essential in about three-quarters of a season last year.
Hoomanawanui, who had spent three years in New England, found himself on a plane heading south after the third week of the season, swapped to New Orleans in exchange for former Saints defensive tackle Akiem Hicks.
All of a sudden, Hoomanawanui found himself in the unstable position of learning a playbook on the fly and simultaneously trying to prove himself to the rest of the NFL in a contract year.
“Being traded is part of the business, it’s not fun, having to move your family mid-season.