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Chargers biggest offseason regret: Releasing Jahleel Addae?

By Tyler Schoon

CARSON, CA - OCTOBER 07: Jahleel Addae #37 of the Los Angeles Chargers plays to the crowd during the game against the Oakland Raiders at StubHub Center on October 7, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - OCTOBER 07: Jahleel Addae #37 of the Los Angeles Chargers plays to the crowd during the game against the Oakland Raiders at StubHub Center on October 7, 2018 in Carson, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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The Chargers may have a few offseason regrets as they reflect on what they could have done differently. Is releasing Jahleel Addae one of them?

A recent article from Bleacher Report listed one offseason regret for every NFL team; for the Chargers, that was releasing safety Jahleel Addae. Here’s what the author had to say:

Addae has been a valuable player and a defensive leader since signing with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent back in 2013. More than missing his production, though, Los Angeles could come to regret losing his leadership. -Kristopher Knox

Addae, for better or worse last season, was a very involved part of this defense. In 2018, no defensive player appeared in more snaps than No. 37 as he worked as a free safety. With Derwin James functioning as a highly productive safety at the line of scrimmage, and with injuries to potential-starter Jaylen Watkins, the Chargers were forced to move Addae into a position he was not as familiar with. The move proved disastrous, and Addae was released prior to the start of free agency this past offseason, ending a long tenure with the organization since joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2013.

Jahleel Addae yes yes yes no no NO NO!!!.pic.twitter.com/YRj0ATWwfL

— Sporting News (@sportingnews) December 30, 2018

As such an integral part of the defense (and one for so long), Addae’s leadership will be missed. However, it’s hard to imagine that releasing him will become the Chargers’ biggest regret of the offseason, especially considering how they managed to replace him. With the 60th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Chargers nabbed a steal in Delaware’s Nasir Adderley, Pro Football Focus‘ highest-graded safety coming out of college this season.

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If fans were to point to one most likely offseason regret, it’s failing to add talent to the offensive line. The Chargers replaced Addae with Adderley, but decided to re-tool the starting five that blew it in the postseason with the exact same players from the 2018 roster. The defense can manage without Addae, who was possibly (not as much his fault) the weakest part of the starting unit last season; without the offensive line playing at the very least above average, the Chargers have no shot at a Super Bowl.

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