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Jahleel Addae

Latest On Texans Free Agents

March 11th, 2020 at 6:51pm CST by Ben Levine

The Texans have a number of notable players hitting free agency, but it sounds like the front office has made re-signing Bradley Roby a priority. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle reports (via Twitter) that Houston will “do what they can” to keep many of their free agents, a grouping that’s “especially” led by the 28-year-old cornerback.

Roby inked a one-year, $10MM deal with the Texans last offseason, but he was limited to only 10 games (10 starts) during his first season in Houston. Roby finished the campaign having compiled 38 tackles, eight passes defended, two interceptions (including a pick-six), and one forced fumble.

On the other side of the ball, it sounds like the organization is hoping to retain veteran running back Carlos Hyde. However, as Wilson passes along, Hyde declined a contract offer from the organization and is set to hit free agency. The 29-year-old started 14 games and had his first career 1,000-yard season in 2019. Fellow running back Lamar Miller, who was sidelined with a torn ACL last year, will also be heading to free agency.

Wilson passes along updates on a number of other Texans free agents. The organization is hoping to re-sign running back/special teamer Taiwan Jones and linebackers Tyrell Adams, Dylan Cole and Barkevious Mingo. On the flip side, the organization isn’t expected to bring back safety Jahleel Addae.

Injury Notes: Fuller, Jackson, Addae, Akins

January 11th, 2020 at 9:58pm CST by Marc Delucchi

By now it’s no secret that the Texans offense is a different animal when wide receiver Will Fuller is on the field. Without their deep threat, Houston managed to squeak by the Bills in the Wild Card Round, but going up against the Chiefs on Sunday, the team is very happy to expect Fuller to return from his groin injury, according to James Palmer of the NFL Network. Fuller missed time during the regular season with a hamstring injury and only appeared in 11 of the teams games. In those 11 contests, Fuller amassed 49 receptions for 670 yards and three touchdowns.

Here are a couple other injury notes for Sunday’s games:

  • The Packers have added cornerback Josh Jackson to the injury report with an illness, according to Ian Rapaport of the NFL Network. While it is not expected to prevent Jackson from taking the field, it very well could limit him from playing to the top of his talents.
  • Texans safety Jahleel Addae and tight end Jordan Akins did not travel with the team to Kansas City and will not play Sunday against the Chiefs, according to James Palmer of the NFL Network. Neither Addae nor Akins are massive contributors for Houston, but both have been solid role players for the team. Addae compiled 41 tackles and two interceptions, while Akins started 9 games and caught 36 passes for 418 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Extra Points: Elliott, Jets, Titans, Suh, Texans

May 5th, 2019 at 9:53pm CST by Ben Levine

Let’s check out some notes from around the NFL as we wrap up the weekend:

  • Could the Cowboys be preparing for a future without Ezekiel Elliott? Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk thinks that could be the case, as the writer believes the team could be taking “the DeMarco Murray approach” of running their star back into the ground before moving on. Florio cites a recent quote from COO Stephen Jones, who compared fourth-round running back Tony Pollard to Saints star Alvin Kamara.
  • Sam Darnold and Trevor Siemian are slotted in atop the Jets quarterbacks depth chart, but there will be some competition behind the duo. As ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes, the organization is likely to only carry four quarterbacks to training camp, meaning one of Luke Falk, Davis Webb, or Brandon Silvers will likely be without a job. Cimini notes that head coach Adam Gase likes Falk’s potential, explaining why the Jets claimed him off waivers earlier this week.
  • Would the Titans consider bringing in veteran defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh? Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com says he has not “heard a lot of internal buzz about this.” Suh did visit with the Titans last offseason before he landed with the Rams, and Wyatt notes that the veteran enjoyed his visit with Tennessee. Plus, Suh has a relationship with Titans defensive-line coach Terrell Williams and lineman Cameron Wake, so perhaps a deal isn’t all that unrealistic.
  • Safety Jahleel Addae‘s one-year deal with the Texans is worth $1.105MM, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). The deal includes an $805K base salary, $150K signing bonus, and up to an $150K roster bonus. Addae, 29, was released by the Chargers just prior to the start of free agency after spending six years with the club.

Texans To Sign S Jahleel Addae

May 1st, 2019 at 5:58pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Texans have agreed to sign free agent safety Jahleel Addae, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. 

Addae, 29, was released by the Chargers just prior to the start of free agency after spending six years with the club. While a number of other safeties found hefty — and in Landon Collins‘ case, record-breaking — contracts on the open market, Addae hadn’t generated any known interest since being cut loose by Los Angeles.

The fact that he’s nearing 30 years of age may have softened Addae’s market, but his sub-par play in 2018 likely also had something to with his lack of suitors. Addae started all 16 games for the second consecutive season, but Pro Football Focus (which had previously assigned Addae high marks) graded him as just the No. 76 safety among 93 qualifiers. That rating was almost all a result of a precipitous decline in his pass coverage grade, although his run defense also took a slight step backward.

Where exactly Addae will play in Houston is unclear. The Texans have already replaced Tyrann Mathieu with free agent addition Tashaun Gipson, while 2018 rookie Justin Reid will return after playing nearly 1,000 snaps during his debut campaign. All three of Addae, Gipson, Reid played primarily free safety last season, but Addae spent the most total snaps (207) in the box, so he could play something of a third linebacker role if needed.

Chargers To Release S Jahleel Addae

March 9th, 2019 at 12:22pm CST by Ben Levine

The Chargers are moving on from one of their longest-tenured players. ESPN’s Eric Williams reports (via Twitter) that the team is releasing safety Jahleel Addae.

Addae signed a four-year, $22.5MM deal with the organization back in 2017. The 29-year-old was set to earn $11MM over the next two seasons, but the organization had an opportunity to get out of the contract. The Chargers are apparently opting for that route, leaving the team with $1MM in dead cap.

The former undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan had spent his entire six-year career with the organization. He started all 16 games in each of the past two seasons, including a 2018 campaign where he compiled 75 tackles, one sack, three passed defended, and one interception. While Addae had previously earned high marks via Pro Football Focus, he was ranked 76th among 93 eligible safeties in 2018.

With Addae out of the picture, the team will now have a bit more money to throw at safety Adrian Phillips, who is set to hit free agency. The 26-year-old earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2018. This move could also provide a playing opportunity for former fourth-rounder Rayshawn Jenkins.

West Notes: Donald, Raiders, Carter

August 5th, 2018 at 12:39pm CST by Rory Parks

There are a couple of critical dates coming up in the Aaron Donald saga this week, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out. If Donald does not report to the Rams by August 7, he will not earn a year of credit towards free agency, which means that he would be eligible for restricted free agency next offseason, but not unrestricted free agency. However, Florio says that is not a major deterrent for Donald’s camp, as the Rams would either use the franchise tag on Donald — which, of course, they could also do if he became an unrestricted free agent — or apply a first-round restricted free agent tender. If Los Angeles went with the latter option, there would be any number of teams willing to extend a massive offer sheet to Donald and to surrender a first-round pick to the Rams if the Rams elected to not match the offer sheet, so Florio suggests LA would use the franchise tag regardless of whether Donald becomes a UFA or RFA.

The more important date, then, could be August 9, when the Rams play their first preseason game. As we have written previously, Donald could be fined a game check for each preseason game he misses, and between those penalties and the penalties for missing training camp, Donald could be looking at over $3.2MM in fines if he does not show up until the eve of the regular season opener. That reality could make him rethink his holdout, but given a recent report that the standoff could easily drag into September, it appears Donald’s reps are confident that the Rams will waive any penalties when the two sides do finally come to terms (or else that Donald’s contract will be so massive that the lost money won’t really matter).

Now let’s round up a few more notes from the league’s west divisions:

  • Raiders head coach Jon Gruden says his team’s kicking competition is not over, and that either rookie Eddy Pineiro or recent veteran acquisition Mike Nugent could win the job. But Scott Bair of NBCSports.com says Pineiro remains the heavy favorite, and Bair suggests it would be a major surprise if the rookie did not open the season as the team’s kicker.
  • We have not heard anything about a potential suspension for new Raiders receiver Martavis Bryant since June, which is obviously good news for Bryant and the team, but Gruden does not seem impressed with Bryant’s on-field performance thus far. Vic Tafur of The Athletic tweets that Bryant needs to step up his game and get more out of his reps, and Gruden said that the former Steeler needs to “master the offense and be more versatile.” Bryant is eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2019 — assuming he’s not suspended, of course — and even though he is battling for the team’s No. 3 receiver job, his talent suggests he could excel in Oakland’s offense and earn himself a nice payday next year.
  • Broncos safety Jamal Carter, a 2017 UDFA, has been very impressive in this year’s training camp, as Mike Klis of 9News.com writes. Carter appeared in all 16 of the team’s games last season, primarily as a special teams contributor, but he could get more defensive snaps in 2018, especially in sub-packages.
  • The Chargers‘ starting free safety job remains up for grabs, as Eric Williams of ESPN.com tweets. Jahleel Addae, Desmond King, and Jaylen Watkins have all seen action with the starters at that position.
  • We learned earlier today that veteran cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had to cancel his scheduled workout with the Seahawks due to a family matter. There is not yet any word on whether the visit will be rescheduled.
  • The 49ers are growing increasingly concerned about guard Joshua Garnett‘s right knee injury.

Chargers To Re-Sign S Jahleel Addae

March 8th, 2017 at 6:27am CST by Zachary Links

Safety Jahleel Addae is expected to re-sign with the Chargers on a four-year deal, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Addae was originally scheduled to hit the open market on Thursday.

The deal is for $22.5MM, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune (on Twitter), who adds that $10MM of this amount is guaranteed.

Jahleel Addae (vertical)

Addae, 27, was ranked as one of our top ten safeties in this year’s class and although he did not make the cut for our Top 50 Free Agents list, he did earn honorable mention. If he had turned in a full season last year, he probably would have been slotted higher.

Addae broke is collarbone in September and wound up appearing in only eight games. For his career, he has 48 appearances and 27 starts on his resume. In his half-season, he finished out with 48 tackles and his first career interception.

Even though he’s just 5’11” and 195 pounds, Addae is a hard-hitter and the Chargers were unwilling to risk losing him. He’s now back in the fold through the 2020 season.

PFR’s Top 50 NFL Free Agents

March 7th, 2017 at 10:55pm CST by Zachary Links

It’s free agency week! This year, thanks to the salary cap increase, the dollars will be flying and players will make more than you ever could have expected. Our lists for offense and defense rank free agents based on overall ability, but our Top 50 ranks players based on earning power. Here, you’ll get a good sense of what the market will be like this week and who the big fish are.

The league’s “legal tampering” window will open on Tuesday at 11:00am CT. Technically, teams and players aren’t permitted to finalize agreements on contracts during that legal tampering window, but that’s often treated as a guideline rather than a hard and fast rule. We will almost certainly see handshake agreements go down on Tuesday and Wednesday before they become official on Thursday, the technical beginning of free agency.

Our list of 2017’s top 50 free agents doesn’t include restricted free agents, or franchise tagged players, since they’re effectively restricted free agents as well.

With those caveats out of the way, let’s dive right in! Here are Pro Football Rumors’ top 50 NFL free agents for 2017, along with a few predictions on how much they might earn and what teams could be in the mix to sign them:

1. A.J. Bouye, CB (Texans): Bouye is an overnight sensation, going from unknown to elite talent in the blink of an eye. No one knows exactly what to make of Bouye, but his upside is too much for teams to pass up. The Texans declined to use the franchise tag on the 25-year-old (26 in August), but they’re still hoping to get a deal done this week. The Jets are said to have interest, but it’s not clear if they’ll have the room to get something done. Cornerback-needy teams like the Panthers, Saints, Jaguars, Titans, Bears, and Eagles can be expected to at least kick the tires on this year’s top player in the secondary. Could something like Janoris Jenkins‘ five year, $62.5MM contract ($28.8MM fully guaranteed) from last year be within reach? Jenkins had a longer history of success than Bouye, but consider these facts: Bouye nearly two years younger than Jenkins was at time of signing and the salary cap has risen by about $12MM.
Signed with Jaguars for five years, $67.5MM.A.J. Bouye (vertical)

2. Alshon Jeffery, WR (Bears): He was hurt for most of 2015 and he slumped along with the entire Bears offense in 2016, but his natural ability is still evident and he is a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver. At one point, it seemed like Jeffery could wind up as the league’s highest-paid wide receiver. That won’t be the case, but he will likely get more cash than any other wide receiver in this year’s class. The Eagles and Titans have been hot on his tail for some time now. The 49ers could also get involved and a return to the Bears cannot be ruled out either. Ultimately, Jeffery should wind up fetching at least $10MM per year and perhaps as much as $12MM per year on his next deal.
Signed with Eagles for one year, $9.5MM.

3. Kenny Stills, WR (Dolphins): Jeffery isn’t the only wide receiver who could fetch $12MM per year. Stills isn’t necessarily the best wide receiver on his own team, but he is just on the cusp of his 25th birthday and his ability to stretch the field is tantalizing. It doesn’t sound like the Dolphins are ready to be the highest bidder for his services and it’s not hard to imagine a team like the Eagles landing him. Naturally, there’s quite a bit of overlap between the potential suitors for Jeffery and Stills: the Eagles, Titans, Bears, and 49ers will probably come calling. The Rams may not have enough room to squeeze in Stills, but they could certainly use a playmaker like him if they do not re-sign Kenny Britt. Stills reportedly likes the West Coast (who doesn’t?) so the Niners and Rams could have a leg up on the others if the bidding is close.
Re-signed with Dolphins for four years, $32MM.

4. Dont’a Hightower, LB (Patriots): The market is capped for non-rush linebackers, but Hightower is pretty much the best at what he does and is also lauded for his intangibles. The Patriots have always embraced the “next man up” philosophy, so it is possible they will allow him to go elsewhere. The Dolphins have been frequently connected to Hightower, but that might be too ambitious for a team that has multiple major needs to address. The Colts might also make sense, but the price might be too rich for their blood. A Patriots return appears to be the most likely outcome, but anything is possible.
Re-signed with Patriots for four years, $35.5MM. 

5. Kevin Zeitler, G (Bengals): Zeitler has age on his side and he’s one of the safest free agents in the top ten after three consecutive years of dominance. Interior offensive linemen don’t get as much love as their counterparts on the outside, but they are still incredibly vital and Zeitler’s next contract will reflect that. If he doesn’t circle back to the Bengals, the Jaguars, Cardinals, Packers, and Seahawks all make varying degrees of sense for Zeitler. From a football standpoint, you can add the Jets to that group too, but I’m not sure they can meet a ~$12MM/year asking price.
Signed with Browns for five years, $60MM.

6. Logan Ryan, CB (Patriots): There are bigger names available at the cornerback position, but Ryan slots ahead of many of them after a career year. It also doesn’t hurt that this fresh-faced Super Bowl champ only just turned 26 in February. If the Patriots don’t tie him down, Ryan’s earning power could conceivably vault him past Trumaine Johnson in terms of guaranteed cash. The Jaguars and Titans would be wise to zero in on Ryan if they can’t land Bouye and it’s possible that some of their evaluators might even prefer Ryan over the Houston standout. Ryan’s next deal will probably pay him eight figures per year and it should be a lengthy pact.
Signed with Titans for three years, $30MM.

7. Terrelle Pryor, WR (Browns): There is strong mutual interest in a new deal between Pryor and the Browns. Still, the Browns passed on the opportunity to franchise tag the Ohio State product and he now appears poised to test the open market. With pretty much just one year to show, how will Pryor fare in free agency? His next deal should pay him at least $10MM/year and he could get up to $12MM/year. In addition to the Browns, the usual suspects for this year’s high-end WRs will explore signing Pryor (say it with me): Eagles, Titans, and 49ers. There’s conflicting word about whether the Steelers will get involved. The Giants are known to have interest, but I don’t think they’ll be splurging on free agents like they did one year ago.
Signed with Redskins for one year, $6MM.

8 .Ricky Wagner, OT (Ravens): There’s already talk of Wagner fetching around $10MM/year and it’s not like this year’s free agent market is flush with young, quality tackles. When you also consider the lack of quality tackles in the draft, it’s apparent that Wagner is about to get PAID, in all caps.Believe it or not, $10MM/year might be his floor. When all is said and done, he’ll be the league’s biggest earner at right tackle. The Bears are particularly interested in Wagner, so he could go from the AFC North to the NFC North this week.
Signed with Lions for five years, $47.5MM.

Calais Campbell (vertical)9. Calais Campbell, DL (Cardinals): Campbell was supposed to be an afterthought in Arizona after the addition of Chandler Jones. Perhaps motivated by a perceived slight, Campbell turned in a stellar year. Now, the Cardinals would very much like to keep him, but they can only go so far as they back up the Brinks truck for Jones and look into retaining other key free agents. If Jones does not agree to a cap-smoothing long-term deal between now and March 9th, the odds of Campbell leaving increase. The Jaguars are said to be a leading contender for Campbell while the Titans, Broncos, Colts, and Bears could also use a force like him. His age (31 in September) gives him a bit of a ceiling in terms of overall compensation, but he should still do nicely this month.
Signed with Jaguars for four years, $60MM.

10. Stephon Gilmore, CB (Bills): In terms of pure talent, Gilmore might be the best cornerback available. Trouble is, no one knows what to make of him after a down 2016. Some have openly theorized that Gilmore was playing it safe to avoid injury in his pivotal contract year. It’s also possible that Buffalo’s injuries in the front seven put undue stress on the secondary. The Bears are reportedly high on Gilmore and he may represent a cheaper option than Bouye or Ryan. A Bills return would also make sense here.
Signed with Patriots for five years, $65MM.

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Top 2017 Free Agents By Position 2.0: Defense

March 6th, 2017 at 10:59pm CST by Dallas Robinson

NFL free agency gets underway on Thursday and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. Here is our updated outlook for each defensive and special teams position.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each defensive position. These rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts – or the amount of guaranteed money – that each player is expected to land in free agency. These are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account.

Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents, as well as franchised players aren’t listed here, since the roadblocks in place to hinder another team from actually acquiring most of those players prevent them from being true free agents.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some free agents than you are, so feel free to weigh in below in our comments section to let us know which players we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by defensive position for this offseason:

Edge defender:

  1. Nick Perry
  2. Jabaal Sheard
  3. John Simon
  4. DeMarcus Ware
  5. Lorenzo Alexander
  6. Andre Branch
  7. Julius Peppers
  8. Charles Johnson
  9. Datone Jones
  10. Dwight Freeney
  11. Chris Long
  12. Mario Williams
  13. Paul Kruger
  14. Courtney Upshaw
  15. Jarvis Jones

Now that Chandler Jones, Melvin Ingram, and Jason Pierre-Paul have all been assigned the franchise tag, Nick Perry stands as the top edge defender on the free agent market, and is now in a position to cash in. The Packers opted against the franchise tender for the 26-year-old Perry, so he’ll hit the open market following a career year which saw him post 11 sacks."<strong

The rest of this year’s crop of free agent pass rushers is a blend of young defenders searching for their first payday and veterans on the hunt for one last contract. Among players with youth still on their side, Datone Jones figures to interest clubs thanks to his versatility, as he can vacillate between end and linebacker, while fellow former first-round pick Jarvis Jones is solid against the run. John Simon has been overlooked while playing alongside the likes of J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney, and Whitney Mercilus but could represent a hidden gem, while the Dolphins are reportedly prioritizing Andre Branch.

After managing nine sacks over the first nine years of his NFL tenure, Lorenzo Alexander busted out with 12.5 quarterback takedowns in 2016, and now could be looking for a double-digit annual salary. Charles Johnson, meanwhile, looks like a good bet to return to the Panthers, but DeMarcus Ware could be something of a wild card — after missing 11 games in the past two seasons, does the 34-year-old have enough left in the tank? The same could be asked of Dwight Freeney, who at age-37 posted three sacks in a rotational role for the Falcons.

Interior defensive line:

  1. Calais Campbell
  2. Johnathan Hankins
  3. Brandon Williams
  4. Dontari Poe
  5. Chris Baker
  6. Bennie Logan
  7. Nick Fairley
  8. Alan Branch
  9. Jared Odrick
  10. Karl Klug
  11. Terrell McClain
  12. Lawrence Guy
  13. Stacy McGee
  14. Stephen Paea
  15. Sylvester Williams
    Honorable mention: Paul Soliai

Calais Campbell is the best overall player among interior defenders, and though he’s entering his age-31 season and may not cost as much as Johnathan Hankins, Brandon Williams, and Dontari Poe, Campbell will still be highly-sought after as he searches for his last substantial payday Campbell’s agent met with the Cardinals last week, but other speculative fits for the veteran defender include the Broncos, Raiders, Ravens, Colts, and Titans."<strong

Hankins is only 24 years old, and though the Giants are trying to retain him along with the rest of their defensive core, the 6’3″, 320-pound mauler should represent an attractive option to a number of clubs this offseason. Williams, too, offers a massive presence on the inside, while Poe could intrigue clubs based on his first-round pedigree and athleticism (though his play hasn’t always matched his potential). The Redskins’ Chris Baker is a solid, well-rounded defensive tackle, and could constitute a consolation prize for teams that miss out on their top targets.

The rest of the class offers an interesting mix of nose tackles (Bennie Logan), interior pass rushers (Nick Fairley, Karl Klug), and run stoppers (Alan Branch), so clubs hoping to bolster their defensive line should find no shortage of options. Jared Odrick recently hit free agency after being released by the Jaguars, while Terrell McClain, Lawrence Guy, and Stacy McGee could be underrated finds for the right team. McClain, for what it’s worth, has already been linked to the Falcons.

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Bolts Trying To Keep Addae, Woodhead

March 2nd, 2017 at 4:29pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Chargers offered contracts to multiple in-house free agents before the combine, including safety Jahleel Addae, Bolts reporter Michael Gehlken tweets. Talks are ongoing between the Chargers and Addae, and the club is also attempting to re-sign running back Danny Woodhead, per Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com.

Jahleel Addae (vertical)

Both Addae and Woodhead were among the cavalcade of Chargers who dealt with significant injuries in 2016. The 27-year-old Addae broke is collarbone in September and ended up appearing in only eight games – all of which were starts. Addae, who now has 48 appearances and 27 starts to his name, added 48 tackles and the first interception of his career last season. Teams covet the 5-foot-11, 195-pounder for his physicality, Gehlken notes.

Woodhead, 32, suffered a torn ACL in Week 2 and landed on season-ending injured reserve as a result. Previously, the pass-catching back appeared in all 16 games for the Chargers in 2015 and hauled in a tremendous 80 receptions for 755 yards and six touchdowns. He also pitched in 336 rushing yards and three more scores on 98 carries.

Zach Links contributed to this report. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.