Take a look at the best photos from day two of Chargers minicamp.
Jahleel Addae spent the first four years of his career at free safety.
Last year he was moved to strong safety, where he authored his most productive season to date.
However, where he will play in 2018 remains to be seen after the Bolts selected Derwin James with the 17th overall pick. With both players able to make an impact at both positions, a primary objective come training camp and preseason action is to find out where best to deploy them together.
On Wednesday, Addae made a case to play more free in 2018.
Number 37 made a pair of outstanding plays in the red zone early in 11-on-11s, sending his teammates into frenzied celebrations.
"It was a solid day out there," he said with his patented wry smile. "A real solid day. Just came out there with high energy. Every down I'm trying to get better. Bring that energy and have everybody else feed off of it."
Addae first flashed with an acrobatic break-up of a pass intended for Tyrell Williams. It looked like a surefire completion until the safety came in like a blur to get his hand on it.
His defensive teammates hooted and hollered after the big play while Addae gave one of his patented celebratory poses.
However, after further contemplation, he was actually ticked off at himself.
"It was cover two in the red zone, and he ran inside release to the corner," he later recalled in the locker room. "Now that I look back at it, I'm mad at myself because I think I could have gotten my hands on it and picked it. But that was a good player."
A few minutes later he made another in the back of the end zone.
"It's like an alley-oop," he said with a laugh. "Like Kobe to Shaq…or better yet, somebody to LeBron!"
It was exactly that as Addae made another impressive play on the ball, knocking it straight in the air into the waiting arms of Desmond King.
Like we saw countless times a year ago, the entire defense erupted on the sideline.
"We were in cover two, and they were in three-by-one (formation)," he said. "Number two runs a bender across my face, and the quarterback tried to fit it in there. I got my body across his."
Addae's ability to diagnose the play shows just how much he's grown over the years. While he succeeded at free safety in the past, it's clear his experience in the league is set to take his game to another level.
"It definitely comes with time and experience," he said. "You see the game and with experience, the game slows down. You see and recognize pre-snap alignments. But it's also what your mom and dad gave you. Your quick twitch. Your ability to make a play on the ball. I think that's just my biggest thing. Continuing to try to get turnovers. Continuing to get myself around the ball."
As far as where Addae prefers to line up – free or strong?
"As long as I have a job in the NFL, and I get to ball and do what I love, I'm down for whatever."
