Woodson Happy With Oakland Raiders New Staff

May 26, 2015; Alameda, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders safety Charles Woodson (24) stretches at organized team activities at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Charles Woodson came back to the Oakland Raiders with the vision of returning the franchise to glory before hanging up his shoulder pads as a guaranteed member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. That vision has had a different reality as the rebuilding Raiders haven’t given Woodson many wins to add to his lengthy list of memorable moments in his football career.

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A 4-12 2013 season and a 3-13 record last season saw the end to the head coaching reign of Dennis Allen, who was the coach for Woodson’s return to the franchise. Now an entirely new coaching staff will be guiding the Raiders for what will be Woodson’s 18th season in the NFL and his 11th spent in Oakland in two stays with the team. Something that excites the legend, particularly when it comes to working with new defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. who came from the Seattle Seahawks as a linebackers coach to become head coach Jack Del Rio’s right hand man in building the Oakland defense.

After two losing seasons in coming back to the Raiders, Woodson told the team’s official website that the coaching staff change was a needed one this offseason. Praising Norton Jr. for his passion and the fire the new defensive coordinator has brought to preparing the team for the 2015 season.

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“We need it,” Woodson said of the change the franchise has made with a new coaching staff. “My take is that, the last couple of years that I’ve been here, it’s been three wins and four wins. Whatever different that comes in and feels good, you welcome it. We feel good about not only him, but all of the guys that they’ve brought in. They all have that fire. It’s been fun.”

“It’s fun. Different, just because of how fired up he is every day. Every morning when you walk in, he’s the one guy that you’re going to hear in the building. When you come in and you hear him, you almost have to be ready for work. It’s been great. I think the guys have responded to him and his style. I think it’s going to be fun to get a chance to work with him.”

Woodson has been around the game long enough to know to praise the coaches in the media whenever asked, but there is a chance that he is being truthful in extolling the praises of Norton Jr who was loved during his time in Seattle with the back to back NFC champion Seahawks. Now that he is a defensive coordinator it appears that Norton Jr. will be continuing to succeed at getting his players to play for him in Oakland, with one of the best players to ever play the game already buying in to the first year coordinator. Norton Jr.’s first run as a DC will be a big storyline in the Raiders 2015 season and for now it looks like it has a good chance of being a success as a mix of veterans and youngsters are ready to succeed with their coordinator.

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