Tony Romo out after having back surgery

Mike Garafolo | USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo won't participate in organized team activities and is out through the spring because of minor back surgery, the team announced through its website.

Romo, who had a cyst removed, should be back and ready to go by the start of training camp, the team's report indicated.

"If this was the regular season and I had to play next week, I could,'' Romo told The Dallas Morning News on Monday. "This is just about being smart.

"That's why I did it now. This will have no effect on training camp. No way will it have an impact. And I still think there's a good chance I'm on the field for mini-camp.

"It was something I felt like was nagging me just enough I wanted to make sure to get it done now. I wanted to take care of it earlier rather than later.''

Romo signed a six-year, $108-million deal in March. About a month later, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Romo told him he would log "Peyton Manning-type time" around the team's facility this offseason.

While that might be the case, Romo will be limited to working in the meeting rooms and film rooms for the next few weeks because of his back procedure.