Bruce Irvin relishes ‘bad cop’ role in teaching Raiders’ players

Recommended Video:

Countless movies and TV shows featuring the police can’t be wrong.

The “good cop, bad cop” routine works. Raiders defensive leaders Khalil Mack and Bruce Irvin relish playing those roles when it comes to helping and getting the most out of the team’s rookies and second-year players.

“Khalil will pull you to the side, try to talk you through some things,” Irvin said. “I will get on you and I don’t care who’s listening, I don’t care about your feelings. We’re both just trying to motivate these guys and teach them everything we know.”

Linebacker Shilique Calhoun recently said Irvin and Mack were the two toughest coaches on the field. And that’s not by accident.

“I try to be hard on them,” Irvin said. “You can ask anybody here. I talk the most s—, and I don’t let up. That’s how I would want someone to be with me. … Yeah, I am definitely a little more outspoken than Khalil.”

Irvin has been impressed with two of the rookies on the defensive line at training camp, citing Eddie Vanderdoes and Treyvon Hester.

Bruce Irvin after a May practice in Alameda. Happy to be the bad cop in coaching teammates, he was the the first player to be ejected from a Super Bowl, in 2015 in a loss to the Patriots. Bruce Irvin after a May practice in Alameda. Happy to be the bad cop in coaching teammates, he was the the first player to be ejected from a Super Bowl, in 2015 in a loss to the Patriots. Photo: Leah Millis, The Chronicle Photo: Leah Millis, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Bruce Irvin relishes ‘bad cop’ role in teaching Raiders’ players 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

“They get after it,” Irvin said. “The good thing about that is they’re making plays now, and they don’t even know what they’re doing. They’re out here with their college minds and their college moves and they’re still winning on some plays and having a good camp.

“Once they get our system down, and we’ve had our hands on them for a little while, I really think they are going to do some good stuff for us.”

Irvin and Mack definitely needed more help last season, as they had 18 of the team’s league-low 25 sacks. Irvin says maybe he and Mack just didn’t do a good enough job of leading and making enough plays.

“It’s definitely on us to get this defense to the next level,” Irvin said. “Two alpha males. Two alpha dogs not going to take anything from anybody in the league. We both really respect each other and are going to do whatever we can to get the rest of the guys ready for battle. …

“We are a confident group, and we feel like we have everything we need to be a top-five, top-10 defense. I think all the pieces are in place. The guys are working hard, trying to get better. That’s all I ask of guys is to leave it out there for us.”

The defensive players could pick up something even from new running back Marshawn Lynch, who came out of retirement to play for his native city of Oakland and with Irvin, his former Seattle teammate. The “Beast Mode” physical, in-your-face style is contagious, Irvin said.

“Oh, yeah, that will affect the whole team,” he said. “That’s not just running backs or offensive line or offense, that’s everybody. When we were in Seattle, and the defense would see him break five or six tackles on a long run, it got us hyped up. That’s our mentality: physical and get after you.

“That Beast Mode mentality definitely rubs off. … He is definitely a Raider: rugged, nasty, hair, goatee. That’s the Raider image right there.”

Briefly: Receiver Amari Cooper missed his third straight practice with what looks to be a minor leg injury. Head coach Jack Del Rio wouldn’t address specific injuries, but said none of them is significant. That also would go for three of the team’s first four draft picks — cornerback Gareon Conley (shin), safety Obi Melifonwu (undisclosed) and tackle David Sharpe (ankle) — as they didn’t practice again Sunday. That doesn’t go for backup safety Keith McGill, who broke his foot in Saturday’s practice. ... Del Rio said undrafted cornerback Breon Borders “came in with a serious, no-nonsense approach. He was doing so well with the ‘2s’, we put him with the ‘1s.’” ... Day 9 of left tackle Donald Penn’s holdout came and went, with neither side budging.

Vic Tafur is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: vtafur@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VicTafur