Hoomanawanui missed most of the first week of training camp due to a neck injury, Joel Erickson of The New Orleans Advocate reports.
Hoomanawanui suffered the injury in the offseason, and he noted that his absence was the byproduct of the team ensuring that he was ready to return to full-contact action. Neck injuries are generally delicate and dangerous, so the Saints naturally wanted to be cautious bringing Hoomanawanui back. He finds himself in a crowded tight end corps, but he still played 468 snaps on offense last season and should find a role as a run blocker for New Orleans in 2018.