The Houston Texans entered the offseason needing to find replacements in the secondary for safety Tyrann Mathieu and cornerback Kareem Jackson, and they have made another move to achieve this goal.

Following a 2019 NFL Draft in which the Texans added Kentucky cornerback Lonnie Johnson, general manager Brian Gaine is continuing to add to this roster. The team signed former Los Angeles Chargers safety Jahleel Addae on Wednesday night to bolster this secondary. The team announced the move on Thursday afternoon but did not reveal terms of the deal.

The 29-year-old defensive back has been looking for a new opportunity since March 9, when the Chargers cut ties with him in a money-saving move. Addae had played more snaps on the defense over the past six years than any other member of the team but was also due $6 million in 2019. Releasing him saved the Chargers $5 million in salary cap space.

"Jahleel has been the consummate professional," Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said in early March. "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. I want to thank Jahleel for everything he's done in my two years here."

Originally a free agent in 2013, Addae came to the Chargers after a career at Central Michigan. He managed to make the final roster and fought his way onto the starting roster. Over his six-year stint with the Bolts, Addae tallied 372 combined tackles, along with 4.5 sacks, 21 passes defensed, two interceptions, and one touchdown return. He was a standout box safety under defensive coordinator Gus Bradley, but he struggled to adjust once talented rookie Derwin James came to town.

"Jahleel was part of our rookie class my first year with the organization in 2013," Chargers general manager Tom Telesco said in a statement from the team. "Not only did he make the team as an undrafted free agent, he won a starting role at safety and became an undisputed team leader. In his time here, nobody has worked harder, and exemplified what we want in a Charger more than Jahleel. These decisions are never easy, and we will always be grateful for Jahleel's contributions both on the field and in our community."

Now that he's set to join Romeo Crennel's defense, Addae will be tasked with becoming a leader on the back end. He may be coming off a season in which he was viewed as an average safety by Pro Football Focus, but Addae should be set up for success in Houston.

With his experience covering receivers out of the slot while also assisting in run defense, Addae could be an important figure in the group. Mathieu was exceptional in a similar role during his lone season with the Texans, and Addae could help fill the massive gap left by his departure.