Exploding into tackles when available with the visceral ferocity of, say, a Dick Butkus. Displaying the effortless range of a Willie Mays or a Joltin’ Joe DiMaggio patrolling centre field.

Out there, alone in the wide-open spaces, a one-man last line of resistance, a gladiator aerialist working between high-rises without a net in a stiff breeze.

That’s the safety position.

“Trust,’’ explains Joshua Bell. “You’ve got trust each other if it’s gonna work.

“Most of all, they’ve got to trust you.

“The No. 1 thing back there is communication; the security that you develop with the other five guys on the back end.  They need to have the confidence that you’re gonna be where you’re supposed to, 24/7.

“Then your brothers, they can be more attacking, more aggressive.

“They’ve got to believe: ‘Bell’s got me.’ So they can make a mistake, take a chance, maybe blow an assignment and: ‘It’s OK. Everything’s good. Bell’s got me.’

“It’s kind of a telepathy level.”

With the inspirational Bell relegated to impatiently interested observer at Calgary Stampeders’ practice Tuesday and a real doubt for Saturday due to a leg injury sustained during the 27-10 beatdown of Saskatchewan last weekend at McMahon Stadium, 22-year-old Tunde Adeleke could receive his first CFL start, sliding into the safety slot against Zach Collaros and the Tabbies.

Rookie Tunde Adeleke (Photo by David Moll)

The Stamps give up a decade of savvy, an incalculable amount of leadership and that indefinable quality in the person of Bell, of course.

“I can’t completely fill Josh’s role because he’s so much more than just a player on the team,’’ acknowledges Adeleke. “I’ve learned so much about the position since I got here, from the coaches, from Josh, how to disguise, how he plays to make it work against certain teams.

“But I know my keys, I know the concepts. I think the guys believe I know what I’m doing.

“Communication, I feel I’m good at that. Like I said, I can’t be Josh Bell but I think I can step in if I have to and help the team win.”

Defensive backs coach Kahlil Carter has faith the third-round 2017 draft pick from Carleton can do just that.

“You saw what he did last game,” says Carter, “came in to relieve Josh and just did a great job. Such an intelligent kid, athletic, just really cognizant.

“He’s really bought into what we what we were selling early, played numerous positions from training camp to now and has kinda been waiting for his opportunity.

“Football IQ is key. Look at (Taylor) Loffler, Jeff Hecht in Saskatchewan. But I think athleticism is where Tunde is a little different than the other Canadian safeties. He’s really fast, a 4.4 guy, can play man coverage and has good ball skills.

“He has to grow up a little bit. He’s a young man getting comfortable with our system and I think he’ll show everyone he belongs in this league.

“(Saturday) was his first real taste in a CFL game and he played real well.”

Coming in out the bullpen in the blink of an eye, with no time to think of ramifications or situation, is usually considered a vastly different beast than being counted upon from the get-go.

“Maybe. But at the end of the day,’’ counters Adeleke, “it’s really the same thing – Go out there and play what the coaches call, like we did last week when I came in. It shouldn’t be anything crazy for me.

“It’d be the first start, yes, and people might want to make a bigger deal about it but the job description doesn’t change.”

Joshua Bell during practice (Photo by Angela Burger)

The man mentoring the new kid in town is an unabashed fan.

“One of the reasons I’ve been able to play the way I have this year so far,’’ maintains Bell, “is Tunde. He’s been pushing me, since Day One. We keep each other sharp, he and I.

“So, no, we don’t anticipate a dropoff if he has to play.

“I know I don’t.

“It should be the same calibre, if not better. After all, he’s got those young legs.”

While Adeleke has been busily collecting crib notes while watching the old pro at work these past couple months, just to clear up one hanging question: He isn’t planning to smear on any warrior-style makeup prior to kickoff.

“No, no,’’ he begs off. “No way. That’s Josh’s thing. I wouldn’t dare.

“I’m just concentrating on going out there and doing my job, making sure not having Josh on the field is not a huge shock to the team.

“I just want to do my job.”

The job of being alone in wide-open spaces, a one-man last line of resistance, a gladiator aerialist working between high-rises without a net in a stiff breeze.

Of going out there, forging the necessary telepathy level and making his defensive backfield brothers trust that he’ll be where he should, 24-7.

Knowing should they make a mistake, take a chance, maybe even blow an assignment that: “It’s OK. Everything’s good. Tunde’s got me.”