As a pair of late-round rookie cornerbacks, Isaiah Bolden and Ameer Speed likely became good friends since joining the Patriots six months ago.

Now, their time as teammates is over.

New England on Thursday waived Speed, who was a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. A day later, the Michigan State product was claimed by the Indianapolis Colts.

The news disappointed Bolden, who reacted with a sad-face emoji.

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Speed earned a spot on the Patriots’ initial 53-man roster largely due to his special teams prowess. He was active in five of New England’s first six games, seeing 73 snaps on special teams compared to just 10 on defense.

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As for Bolden, the seventh-rounder is on season-ending injured reserve after suffering a scary-looking concussion during the preseason. It’s not a stretch to say that he would’ve earned a roster spot over Speed had he not gotten hurt.

The Patriots will host the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon.

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Featured image via Zack Cox/NESN