COSTA MESA (CNS) - The Los Angeles Chargers announced today they have released safety Jahleel Addae, a starter in every regular-season and postseason game the past two seasons, and re-signed linebacker Denzel Perryman to a two- year contract, two days before he could begin exploring his options in free agency.
The 29-year-old Addae was fourth on the Chargers in 2018 with 72 tackles. He also made one interception and one quarterback sack and defensed six passes.
“Jahleel has been the consummate professional," coach Anthony Lynn said. “He's a leader in the locker room and a big part of the culture we've been building.
“He's also a high character individual, hard worker and a great mentor to a lot of the younger guys, especially the guys in the defensive backfield. Building a roster with this salary cap often means you have to make tough decisions and part ways with good people and this is one of those situations.”
Addae made the Charger roster in 2013 as an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan. He started two games as a rookie, five in 2014 and 12 in 2015. Addae started eight games in 2016 season and missed eight others because of a collarbone injury sustained in the second game of the season.
Addae's 361 career tackles are second most in Chargers history among undrafted free agents behind Stephen Cooper, a linebacker who played with the team from 2003-11.
“In his time here, nobody has worked harder, and exemplified what we want in a Charger more than Jahleel,” general manager Tom Telesco said. “These decisions are never easy.”
The 26-year-old Perryman started the first nine games of the 2018 season before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the 20-6 victory over the Oakland Raiders. He was the Chargers leading tackler at the time of the injury.
The Chargers selected Perryman in the second round of the 2015 draft out of Miami. He started nine games as a rookie, 11 in 2016, when he led the team in tackles, and six in 2017, when he suffered an ankle injury during the preseason forcing him to miss the first eight games.
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