'I'm ready to get back in beast mode' Bryant was limited during the offseason because he was coming off surgery to his right ankle and foot in early January. The injuries limited him to a career low nine games in 2015. Bryant is dealing with a blister near his heel, Dooley said, but it's not a concern. Bryant said he felt good after his first padded practice since December. "It was better than I thought," Bryant said. "I thought I was going to be a little bit tired. But that wasn't the case. I'm ready to go. I'm ready to get back in beast mode." Bryant wasn't the only Cowboys star to put the pads on for the first time in seemingly forever. Before Monday, Tony Romo hadn't worn pads in 247 days. Romo, who played in only four games last season because he fractured his left clavicle twice, also wasn't as sharp as usual Monday http://www.cowboysfanproshop.com/Cowboys-Dez-Bryant-Jersey. A few passes floated on him, and one was picked off over the middle by rookie cornerback Anthony Brown. "I threw it a little early," Romo said. "I was trying to anticipate a little bit too much and look the linebacker off at the same time. That was me missing." Quarterbacks coach Wade Wilson said Romo is dealing with some back stiffness but nothing of concern. Romo said he's fine. "I feel good," Romo said. "It's the best offseason I've had in a long time." The Cowboys also got their first look at rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott in pads. The first round pick showed great quickness on a few runs around the corner, but the defense bottled him up for the most part. "Zeke was out there, showing his dynamic cutting ability," safety Barry Church said, "and he had some speed to break away, but he just wasn't doing it today because the defense was kind of swarming him." Though the Cowboys didn't get much of a pass rush Monday Matt Cassel Jersey, the defense kept Elliott in check and cornerback Morris Claiborne shined on the back end. Claiborne, who also had a fast start in last year's camp, had at least three pass breakups. "I felt real good," Claiborne said. "I just have to turn some of those into interceptions. It was a good day http://www.cowboysfanproshop.com/Cowboys-Tyron-Smith-Jersey." At one point, Bryant was taunting Claiborne a bit during release drills. "He was chirping at me because I guess I got him pretty good," Claiborne said. "You know how Dez do. He was saying, 'Wait until we start running routes.' I said, 'I'm ready for that. I'm here.'" Though Bryant and Romo hadn't practiced in more than 200 days, that's nothing compared with rookie tight end Rico Gathers http://www.cowboysfanproshop.com/Cowboys-Dez-Bryant-Jersey. The former Baylor basketball player last played football when he was 13. On that day nine years ago, he scored four touchdowns all on go routes playing receiver. "And it was all play then. Just for fun," Gathers said. "It's all business now. I was like, 'Ya'll still wear hip pads?' Everybody was like, 'We don't wear hip pads no more.'