Head Coach Dennis Allen addressed the media Friday at the 2013 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. He was asked about a variety of subjects, including players currently on the Raiders roster, the organization's plans during the off-season and his relationships with Denver Broncos' head coach John Fox and San Diego Chargers' head coach Mike McCoy.
Coach Allen enjoyed his staff's opportunity to coach the Senior Bowl and is looking forward to the rest of the Combine, the 2013 NFL Draft and the off-season to prepare for the 2013 season. "It's a great opportunity for us to start getting ready for next year with free agency and the draft coming up," said Coach Allen. "We're excited about getting to work."
In 2012, Coach Allen was interviewed at the Senior Bowl and was assembling his staff as the 2012 NFL Combine got underway. Now, with a full off-season to work with, Coach Allen is feeling good about where the Raiders are headed. "This offseason we've had some time to really hit the ground running a little bit and I think we've got a clear plan on what we're trying to get done and the things we've got to try to get accomplished this year," Coach Allen said.
General Manager Reggie McKenzie and Coach Allen have been working to better the Raiders on-field product since they came onboard last year. They hope to make greater strides during the 2013 off-season. "It's a process and things don't happen overnight, so yeah, there's a process that we're going through to kind of get ourselves out of that situation and we're closer to being there this year," explained Coach Allen. "We're missing a second and a fifth round draft choice this year, whereas last year, we didn't get a pick until the compensatory pick in the third round. We're making some progress in that regard and we're going to continue to work on that throughout the off-season."
Watch Coach Allen's press conference in its entirety by clicking the video above.