Broncos Sign ILB Jeremiah Gemmel, Waive ILB Barrington Wade
Continuing to reshuffle their hand at the position, the Denver Broncos signed inside linebacker Jeremiah Gemmel and waived ILB Barrington Wade with an injury designation, the team announced Thursday.
An undrafted rookie, Gemmel was a three-starter for North Carolina where he logged 135 solo tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss, nine pass deflections, 6.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and three interceptions.
The 6-foot-1, 225-pound defender — nicknamed "The General" due to his leadership abilities — also was a two-time team captain with the Tar Heels, drawing pre-draft comparisons to current Cardinals LB Tanner Vallejo.
"Gemmel is jam-packed with a treasure chest of intangibles that coaching staffs will love," noted NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein. "He plays instinctive, fast football with an impressive regulator to alter speeds and maintain tackle-ready positioning. There are elements of his game that stand out, but the body of work is more solid than spectacular. He is undersized and could struggle with taking on NFL blockers, but his football IQ and range could make him an intriguing run-and-chase 4-3 Will linebacker with special teams potential."
Gemmel, whom the 49ers waived Tuesday, joins a stable of Broncos off-ball 'backers that includes Josey Jewell, Alex Singleton, Jonas Griffith, and Kana'i Mauga. This, after the club released Joe Schobert at the 80-man roster deadline.
Jewell will open the regular season as Denver's ILB1, with Singleton and Griffith, who's returning from a dislocated elbow, competing for another starting spot.
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