Reggie McKenzie: Free agents call us now

Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie spoke to the media at Saturday's Committment to Excellence Award Dinner in Oakland. According to this story which was Tweeted out by Raiders reporter Jerry McDonald, McKenzie made it clear that Oakland was the place to be for free agents this season.

"It's good to see people call us and not always have to beg," said McKenzie. He alluded to the fact that the Raiders' having several Pro Bowl players increased the team's profile across the league and made Oakland a more attractive destination for free agents.

This is a sentiment we have seen across the board lately, with our own Levi Damien writing a piece about this very subject a few days ago. In addition, former Raiders linebacker Kirk Morrison posted this Tweet on the first day of free agency:

One Free Agent player texted me "I need to get to Oakland Bro, they not playing around". #PlayersTakingNotice

— Kirk Morrison (@kirkmorrison) March 9, 2016

While McKenzie didn't have much to work with and had to bargain hunt for the first few years of his tenure, his astute drafting and hiring of well-respected coaches such as Jack Del Rio, Mike Tice and Ken Norton Jr. have not gone unnoticed by players all across the league. McKenzie's efforts have made the Raiders as strong and attractive a team as they have been since the turn of the millennium.