Charles Tapper looking to make up for lost time

FRISCO, Texas -- The words fly out of Charles Tapper's mouth so fast that you can feel his excitement about football practice.

Yes, practice.

Tapper missed his rookie season with a stress fracture in his back, a "pars defect," that he had his entire life but wasn't diagnosed until he missed a few weeks of training camp. Last week's organized team activities were his first taste of 11-on-11 action since last spring, when he was a fourth-round pick.

Perhaps he could have played last January if the Dallas Cowboys made a long postseason run, but even that was unlikely. He spent the year rehabbing. He dropped weight and got stronger. He says he got faster, too, which is maybe why the words fly so…