ENGLEWOOD

Kapri Bibbs took several snaps with the starters this week and even got some tutoring from Peyton Manning after practice.

“So, I’m just ready whenever they call upon me,” Bibbs said.

Thin in the backfield heading into their game Sunday at Cleveland (2-3), the unbeaten Broncos (5-0) promoted Bibbs from their practice squad Saturday.

To make room, they released recently signed tight end Richard Gordon even though they loved the physicality the veteran brought to the position where they could really use some more toughness and big blockers.

Last week they released fullback James Casey and with running back Juwan Thompson dealing with a pulled hamstring, their only healthy running backs were C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman.

Bibbs has played in seven preseason games with the Broncos, rushing for 111 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries.

He spent four weeks of his rookie season on Denver’s active roster last year after signing as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State.

Bibbs was also the fourth-string running back at CSU but, when he got his chance there, he broke the school’s single-season record for yards rushing (1,741), touchdowns (31) and points (186) in his lone season with the Rams in 2013 after playing in junior college. His 31 touchdowns led the nation.

“I was fourth string there and I kept grinding away and grinding away. Then they gave me the opportunity and I took off with it,” Bibbs said. “This just reminds me a lot of that, you know, coming in fourth string and just grinding it out and grinding it out and grinding it out and once the opportunity comes just be ready for it.

“That’s what I’ve always been my whole life is an opportunist, and when the opportunities came to me I’ve always made great of them.”