Halapoulivaati Vaitai broke off the line, turned in the end zone and caught a touchdown pass.
Then "Big V" raised his arms high over his head, with the ball still in his right, and jumped up and down twice like a little kid.
"They told me if I scored, to celebrate," Vaitai said after practice. "So I did."
The Eagles were working on short-yardage drills Thursday during practice, which meant Vaitai came on the field as a tight end/extra offensive tackle. On this particular play, the Eagles actually let him break free and become a receiver.
Vaitai said he played tight end against the Cowboys in the season finale last year and thinks he might get a chance to play more this season. The biggest thing for him is remembering to report as an eligible receiver to the referee.
If Vaitai ever scores a touchdown in a real game, he said he probably won't do his little jumping celebration. Instead, he'd hand the ball to the ref because he's on the field goal unit and would have to get ready for the extra point.
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"I'm going to catch the ball and tell the ref to hold the ball for me so I can get it after the game," he said. "And frame it."
On Thursday, while Vaitai was on the left side of the line as a tight end, his fellow offensive tackle Dillon Gordon was working the short-yardage drill as a fullback. It seems like Gordon is in the lead spot for that role this season.
"I think the biggest part is you have to remember what position you're playing," Gordon said. "Because as you know, I've played tight end, left tackle. You just have to know what position you're playing and your assignment."
At times last season the Eagles used Isaac Seumalo in the lead blocker role, but now Seumalo is the Eagles' starting left guard, so he's not available.
Gordon, who played tight end in college, is 322 pounds, so if he makes contact at the line, he can blow open a hole.
The Eagles actually tossed Gordon a touchdown pass on Thursday, too. He celebrated by jumping in the air and shoulder bumping with one of his teammates.
What would he do if he scored in a real game?
"Whatever comes to mind," he said.
Whoa, Nellie!
As much as fans probably don't want to hear it, Nelson Agholor has been really impressive during training camp.
How impressive?
I'm starting to believe in Nelson Agholor.— Reuben Frank (@RoobCSN) August 3, 2017
Yeah. Agholor has looked different this summer and said he's in a "great place," (see story).
On Thursday, offensive coordinator Frank Reich was asked how Agholor has impressed him during this camp.
"I think the things that impressed me with Nelson are two things," he said. "One, the number of big plays he's making. Two, the consistency in which he's making them. Not only making the big plays, but the consistency of which he's doing everything: his route running, ball catching. He's just at a good spot right now."
Missing in action
As the Eagles spent a good portion of Thursday's practice working on short-yardage and goal-line situations, they did so without two of their biggest threats in those situations. Alshon Jeffery was still out with a shoulder injury and LeGarrette Blount was still missing because of personal reasons.
"Yeah, Alshon and LeGarrette are a big part of the red-zone package. So, yeah, you want them in there," Reich said. "We'll have plenty more red-zone periods when those guys are here. We'll get a lot of reps. Got some good reps with them in OTAs to try to figure out some things we can do with them. In the meantime, it gives other guys a chance.
"The package doesn't just revolve around those two. Those two are certainly key opponents of it. But it gives us a chance to work other things as well."
