Patriots Bring In Rookie Linebacker Eugene Asante for Workout
A new face visited Gillette Stadium after the bye week, signaling potential evaluation rather than a guaranteed addition. The New England Patriots hosted linebacker Eugene Asante for a workout on Tuesday, per NFL transaction wires.
Asante, 24, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in the spring. The 6-foot-1, 216-pound off-ball linebacker spent training camp with the Miami Dolphins before reaching an injury settlement after an ankle injury during the August finale.
In his first preseason showing, Asante logged 91 snaps across defense and special teams, recording 10 tackles, including one for a loss, plus a pass deflection. He joined the Cleveland Browns’ practice squad in October but was released last week.
His college career began at North Carolina before transferring to Auburn in 2019. Over 65 games (23 starts) between the Tar Heels and Tigers, he accumulated 196 tackles and 7.5 sacks, with notable plays including one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, and a 67-yard kickoff return for a score.
At the NFL Scouting Combine, Asante posted a 40-yard dash time of 4.48 seconds, a 10-yard split of 1.52 seconds, and 21 bench reps of 225 pounds.
The Patriots, coached by Mike Vrabel, sit at 11-2 with a full, 53-man roster and a 17-man practice squad, as they approach a pivotal moment in the AFC East race (roster and playoff context described here). The next test comes Sunday when the Buffalo Bills visit Foxborough for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
