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Injured Cowboys Rookies Playing Catch Up

Due to the NFL lockout last year, the Dallas Cowboys incoming rookie class of 2011 didn't have an organized workout until training camp officially opened once the labor strike was resolved.

This year, regularly scheduled OTA's and minicamps have taken place and the 2012 rookie class will get extra time to work with coaches as part of a new provision in the most recent collective bargaining agreement.

Unfortunately for Dallas, most of their draftees were unable to participate in OTA's. Three were injured (Morris Claiborne, Tyrone Crawford, Kyle Wilbur, Danny Coale) and one was still in school (Matt Johnson). Only James Hanna and Caleb McSurdy had full participation.

According to Josh Ellis of DallasCowboys.com, some rookies -- like first round selection Morris Claiborne who is recovering from a wrist injury -- are frustrated with not being able to participate:

"It's very, very tough," Claiborne said. "Anytime you're a competitor and you're always used to being in that fire, and then you're not there, and you've just got to stand on the sideline and watch all your teammates work, it's hard."

You can read more Cowboys rookie quotes here.

For all the latest on the Cowboys offseason, stay tuned to the SB Nation Dallas storystream as well as Blogging The Boys.

Photographs by jamesbrandon, jdtornow, phlezk, flygraphix, mcdlttx, tomasland, and literalbarrage used in background montage under Creative Commons. Thank you.