Q: Do you have any bonus in your contract for serving as assistant general manager?

Irvin: “I’m just trying to win, baby, that’s it. (laughing)”

Q: On social media, you seem to be really excited about making the move to join the Raiders. Are you and defensive coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. going to have competitions to see who is more energetic?

Irvin: “Ken Norton, that’s what he does. He’s a great guy, one of the main reasons that I decided to get here. I wanted to get back with him. Like I said before, that guy, he’s done a lot for me, not only on the field, but off the field. He saved my career by bringing me from defensive end to a linebacker, so I have the utmost respect for that guy.”

Q: Why do you think linebacker suits you better?

Irvin: “First off, like I said, it was a pounding every play and then I would be an undersized D-end at 255, 260, so I just felt like playing in more space will allow me to showcase my talents and really help my team, really help Seattle out.”

Q: How much of a pull was the opportunity to play opposite Khalil Mack?

Irvin: “Besides Norton, that was the next biggest thing, playing with Khalil. The guy is a premier rusher. He’s on his way to being one of the best rushers in the league. [Denver Broncos OLBs] DeMarcus [Ware] and Von [Miller] laid the blueprint out in the Super Bowl – you’ve got to have rushers and tandem rushers at that. The AFC West, man, I look at it, it’s a lot of tandem rushers. You’ve got [Kansas City Chiefs LBs Justin] Houston and Tamba [Hali]. You’ve got Ware and Von. You’ve got me and Mack. I’m looking forward to playing with him and benefiting off of him, because I know he’s going to draw so much attention, it’s going to leave me a lot of one-on-one situations, so I’ve got to make the best of them.”

Q: You’ve played on a team that’s been a Super Bowl contender the last two years. What do you see from the Raiders that makes you believe they can reach that level?

Irvin: “It’s a young team. A young, up-and-coming team. They went from [3-13] to 7-9 last year. That’s a major improvement. The players that they’ve brought in in K.O. [Kelechi Osemele], me and Sean [Smith], you can see that the program is really on the up, and turning around. I also feel like I can come out here and be a voice. It’s a younger team. In Seattle, you’ve got guys over there like [Richard] Sherman, Earl Thomas, who are the leaders in that locker room. I can come over here and I’ve been to Super Bowls, I’ve been to Championships, so I know what it takes to get there. I kind of feel like I can be a voice to these younger guys and lead the way.”

Q: Coming into this Raiders system, just in speaking with Coach Norton, Jr., do you feel like it’s going to be pretty familiar to you from what you did back in Seattle?

Irvin: “I was talking to him earlier and there are a lot of similar calls and similar concepts. It shouldn’t be too hard to grasp. I just want to get on the field with Mack and make as many plays as I can and help get this thing turned around up here.”

Q: Has the thought occurred to you yet that it could be you, Khalil Mack and also Aldon Smith as pass rushers?

Irvin: “Yeah, that’s scary, and then potentially Mario Edwards Jr. too. So, pass rush is the key to winning in this league – running the ball and rushing the passer. Me and Mack is scary, but then you add Aldon into that, that’s even scarier. I am just happy to be a part of it and be in a great situation in a great town that’s just waiting for success. I feel like we’re really on the verge of really taking off and turning this thing around up here.”

Q: What does it mean to you to have strong defensive backs behind you?

Irvin: “Being in Seattle the past four years, I kind of know that the pass rush and the secondary go hand in hand. You don’t want to have your corners and your DBs out there covering for eight, nine seconds and you also don’t want to let a team be able to quick game you the whole game to prevent the rushers, so it’s hand in hand. I feel like you have to have a great set of DBs to complement great rushers, so that’s the main reason for me pushing for Eric [Weddle]. He’s a great player, a three-time All-Pro. He’s done a lot of great things in this league, understands what it takes to be a winner. We need more of those guys around here, so that’s the biggest thing. I’m just trying to get as many players over here [who] kind of want to be in and be a part of what’s going to happen because it’s about to be something special that really happens here.”