With Brian Westbrook watching from the sideline, one of the players auditioning for a backup role in the backfield broke off a nice run that earned plenty of cheers from players and fans alike.

Eldra Buckley, a free agent who spent the last two seasons on San Diego's practice squad, made the most of his opportunities during Friday morning's "live" period.

Buckley found a seam up the middle before bouncing out to his right and down the sideline for a 45-yard gain.

"It was blocked to perfection," Buckley said. "The o-line did a great job. They blocked the play perfectly and I just played off them."

Safety Byron Parker tackled Buckley and in the process knocked the helmet right off his head. Buckley lost his helmet again later during the "live" period. But he took it all in stride.

"They were just catching me in a good spot," Buckley said. "They're football players too. They get paid to do the same thing."

Buckley struggled at times during the spring camps, but put that behind him with an impressive showing on the first day of full-team work.

Buckley, who describes himself as a "hard runner," has spent the majority of his young NFL career learning from some of the game's best, playing behind LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren Sproles and Michael Turner in San Diego. Now he's studying under Brian Westbrook.

"To be a player in this game, you have to learn," Buckley said.

-- Posted by Bob Kent, 6:40 p.m., July 31