Dez Bryant working with trainer instead of Romo, LB Brooking back at practice for Cowboys

Bryant on side, Brooking on field for Cowboys camp

IRVING, Texas — Rookie receiver Dez Bryant worked with a trainer instead of catching passes from Tony Romo during the first workout of the Dallas Cowboys minicamp Friday.

Still, Bryant said he felt “great” and that the tightness in his left hamstring was no longer an issue. He planned to fully participate in the rest of the weekend practices, including the afternoon session Friday.

“I was going to go this morning. They wanted me to see was I ready or not,” Bryant said in the locker room between sessions. “They seen I was ready.”

Veteran linebacker Keith Brooking was on the field after missing the last four weeks of voluntary workouts while recovering from arthroscopic left knee surgery. Brooking said he wanted to take part in both practices, but that team trainers were limiting to him to only the Friday morning session as a precaution.

“My knee felt better than it’s felt in a really long time, so that’s really positive,” said Brooking, who has played 12 NFL seasons. “The one thing I was concerned about is just explosiveness, just having my leg underneath me because I haven’t had football stuff for so long. … My legs felt great. I felt strong. I felt quick.”

Brooking said he didn’t have any issues with the knee last season, and that it started bothering him while doing some offseason conditioning early this offseason. Since there was plenty of time before the season, he decided to let doctors clean some of the cartilage in his knee that was causing soreness and irritation.

“I could have played through it, but were will still three or four months before the season, it was a very minor procedure,” the 34-year-old linebacker said. “Get it done so it wouldn’t bother me during the season, I’ll be ready to go.”

The mandatory weekend minicamp is the last organized team workouts before the first training camp practice in San Antonio in six weeks.

Bryant came out of Tuesday’s voluntary workout because of left hamstring tightness. He did conditioning and rehab work the last two days and then started the weekend minicamp that way.

“It felt unfair. My teammates get to go back out there and practice, catch footballs. I’m 100 percent,” Bryant said. “I just feel like it’s all part of football. Everybody gets injured. It’s just been my time. Look at my past, I’ve barely been injured. “

Despite the missed time on the field this week, Bryant said he feels like he is getting a grasp of the Cowboys offense and working with Romo.

“I’m comfortable, I’m confident,” he said. “I feel like if the coaches put me out there, I wouldn’t need nobody behind me, I would know what to do. I’m ready to go.”