Source: Oakland Tribune

The Raiders shut down operations Thursday following a three-day minicamp, not to meet on a football field again until they report to training camp in six weeks.

General manager Reggie McKenzie, charged with rebuilding the organization inside and out, thinks the new-look Raiders are ahead of schedule.

"I personally think we're further along than I thought we would be," McKenzie said. "I knew we were going to throw in a lot on both sides of the ball. But it was good to see things going right a lot more than wrong as far as coaches yelling and screaming, running a play over again.

"You didn't hear a lot of that. That's a good indication that the players are getting it and coaches are coaching it. Hopefully in training camp they digest it even more and we become more complete."

McKenzie has been given virtually free rein by owner Mark Davis to modernize and restructure the organization in the post-Al Davis era.

Almost no part of the building has been spared.

There is a new head coach in Dennis Allen, new coordinators in Greg Knapp (offense) and Jason Tarver (defense) and entirely new systems and philosophies of football.

McKenzie restructured the personnel department, not only in terms of new scouts, but with a major upgrade in terms of computer hardware and software. The Raiders have officially joined the 21st century, with Mark Davis authorizing substantial expenditures (McKenzie said he didn't write the checks).

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