Tailback Bolden leaves Miami to return to Patriots

Tailback Brandon Bolden is returning to the New England Patriots after a one-year hiatus in Miami.

Bolden, who served as a backup and core special teams contributor with the Dolphins last season, agreed to a two-year deal with the Patriots on Wednesday, according to NFL Network.

The Dolphins expressed interest in re-signing Bolden, who carried the ball eight times for 91 yards and two touchdowns last season, but Miami failed to get a deal done. Bolden and every other free agent in the NFL was able to officially sign a contract beginning at 4 p.m. on Wednesday as the new league year began.

Bolden, 29, was released by the Patriots on cut-down day last September when the team believed it could later re-sign the veteran, as it had in similar fashion in 2017. However, he opted to instead sign with Miami, the Patriots’ division rival.

Bolden first carved out a role for himself as an undrafted rookie out of Ole Miss in 2012. Over the next four years, he averaged 50-plus carries and almost 200 yards a season.

Bolden’s offensive playing time plummeted in 2016.

As a career special-teams contributor, Bolden totaled 33 tackles, including a half-dozen in Miami, and two forced fumbles.

He’s the second tailback Miami has lost this spring, joining Frank Gore, who is signing a one-year deal worth $2 million with the Buffalo Bills.