Special Teams Shuffle: Brandon Bolden to Leave Patriots, Sign with Raiders

The former Patriots special teams stalwart/running back is reportedly set to reunite with former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas.

The New England Patriots will be without the services of a key special teamer and member of their offensive backfield in 2022.

Running back Brandon Bolden is set to reunite with former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, as the nine-year veteran is set to sign with the Las Vegas Raiders. Bolden’s decision was first reported on Wednesday by Terrance Biggs of Full Press NFL, and confirmed by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Thursday.

Having spent eight out his nine seasons in New England, Bolden had become a veritable fan-favorite for his special teams prowess, as well as his leadership. He finishes his New England tenure having gained 1206 yards on 275 carries and 10 touchdowns. He also caught 100 passes for 902 receiving yards and six touchdown receptions. Bolden was also a stalwart on both return and coverage duties on special teams.

The Ole Miss product is no stranger to adversity. In January, Bolden revealed (via a social media post) that he was diagnosed with a form of carcinoma following the Patriots’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII in February of 2018. Thankfully, he has won his battle with the disease, thus having been cancer-free for three years.

“I lost the majority of function on the right side of my face and continued to play,’’ he said of the experience leading to his diagnosis. “It was just my face. It wasn’t the rest of my body, so I was OK with it.’’

Shortly after his diagnosis, Bolden underwent surgery to remove the cancer. Though there was a time in which he believed that his pro football career might have some to an end, Bolden has fought the disease and continues to feel stronger everyday.

Bolden spent the 2018 season with the Miami Dolphins, signing with the team following his post-training camp release from the Patriots. He played one season in Miami before returning to New England for the 2019 campaign. Bolden opted out of the 2020 season, amidst COVID-19 health concerns.

In the wake of fellow running back James White’s season-ending injury, running back Brandon Bolden performed quite well in the third-down role. Bolden set career highs in receptions and receiving yards . Through fourteen games, the 32-year-old compiled 226 rushing yards on 44 carries with one touchdown. He was also a veritable force in receiving out of the backfield, with 41 catches for 405 yards and two touchdowns. With Harris often deployed in early down packages, the Pats typically looked to Bolden on third down again by isolating him on the opposing team’s linebackers. As a result, his experience and versatility was heavily relied upon by Jones, both on the ground and as a situational pass catcher.

Like White, Bolden was set to enter the 2022 league year as an unrestricted free agent. Following his stellar performance in 2021, Bolden was expected to have his share of suitors on the open market. White’s return, which was reported on Tuesday, seemed to indicate that his role was to become more expendable. However, his prowess at running back, as well as his expertise and experience on special teams should mean the Pats do their due diligence in trying to retain his services, as well, in 2022.

As a result, the Patriots must now look to replace his contributions both on offense and on special teams. Having long been a favorite of Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, that will be no easy task for the proverbial ‘next man up.’

“He’s dependable. He’s consistent,” Belichick said of Bolden during a December press conference. “Everybody knows we can count on him whether that’s in the kicking game or offensively catching a ball, blitz pickup, running the ball. And I would say one of the most impressive things about Brandon this year with all that he’s done is his unwillingness to give up his role in the kicking game and to continue to excel in those four phases, where he’s outstanding.

“But he hasn’t forced somebody else to step into that role. He’s maintained that role as well as taking on the bigger offensive role he has and that’s been a big commitment from him, both the time commitment in terms of practice and preparation and obviously a physical commitment. So very, very fortunate to have Brandon.”

Following Bolden’s departure, the Patriots corps of running backs consist of Damien Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, J.J. Taylor, Devine Ozigbo and James White.