Report: Patriots tight end Devin Asiasi away from team after testing positive for Covid-19

The New England Patriots will open training camp on Wednesday without Devin Asiasi.

According to Jim McBride of the Boston Globe, the 23-year-old tight end is not currently with the team after testing positive for Covid-19.

Asiasi has been fully vaccinated, per McBride.

Under NFL protocols, vaccinated players and staff members who test positive and are asymptomatic can return to the facility after submitting two negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

“The setup on camp operationally is more like it was in 2019,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said during his press conference Tuesday morning. “We’re still, of course, following all of the league protocols and policies on health and safety and so forth. There are certain requirements on vaccinated versus unvaccinated players and different tiers and so forth and access to the people in the organization and fans and so forth and so on. Whatever those are, they are. We’ll follow those. Our staff and organization has done a great job of making those accommodations.”

The Patriots selected Asiasi in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft at No. 91 overall. The UCLA product appeared in nine games and started three as a rookie, catching two passes for 39 yards and one touchdown.

The depth chart at tight end also includes Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, Dalton Keene, Matt LaCosse, Troy Fumagalli and David Wells, who re-signed last Friday.