By Jason Jones
jejones@sacbee.com
ALAMEDA - Hue Jackson was in a very good mood for a coach with no first-round draft picks.
A lot of that had to do with knowing players will be allowed back into team headquarters for football-related activities including actually speaking to their coaches and picking up new playbooks starting today.
Jackson would like to see every player at some point next week. The official offseason program begins Monday.
"When they get here they'll start getting acclimated to our offseason program," Jackson said. "Getting acclimated to our coaches, just get back into football, just being back in the building and us getting to know them, them getting to know us and starting this process on our journey toward our goal."
As for the draft, Jackson said there were a lot of phone calls and chances to trade into the first round but nothing worked out to the Raiders' liking.
"There was so much phone-calling going on in that room like you wouldn't believe," Jackson said. "There were a lot of opportunities but nothing that really fit for us, for exactly what we wanted to accomplish. Obviously the player has to be there when you want to trade with somebody, and there were several phone calls made but it just didn't fit for us at this time."
The Raiders' first selection is the 16th of the second round, 48th overall. The Raiders also own the 17th pick of the third round, 81st overall.
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