The off-season workouts are a bit different for Todd Herremans.

Not only is he going through a completely different program created by new strength coach Barry Rubin, but he's going through it without his right-hand man. Usually, the team's starting left guard goes through the off-season conditioning program alongside center Jamaal Jackson, pushing each other as they go through various drills. But with Jackson recovering from a late-season ACL injury, Herremans is without his teammate and friend.

"Obviously it's going to be a little different," Herremans said. "I'm not going to be able to work out with him side-by-side, but we'll still see each other every day. We still see Jamaal working and getting through his rehab, and he's doing well."

Players use the off-season workouts to get bigger, stronger and faster. But they also work on building camaraderie, which Herremans and Jackson have built over the years.

Jackson tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in the first half of the team's week 16 win over Denver. His injury came just when the front five started to gain some consistency and develop some real chemistry.

"It was real tough (to see him go down)," Herremans said. "You can't say enough about what Jamaal means to our offense, and everybody saw that. It's a tough road to recovery with those ACL injuries that he had, but he's got a lot of faith in what he's doing. He's pushing through and I think he'll be ok. We'll see what happens."

-- Posted by Bob Kent, 8:00 a.m., March 22