NAPA, Calif. – Yes, George Atkinson III is considered Oakland Raiders royalty, so to speak. At the very least, he’s a legacy, given that his dad was an institution at strong safety for the Raiders from 1968 through 1977.
But lineage does not guarantee a spot on the team’s 53-man roster. Not when he’s spent most of the past two years on Oakland’s practice squad.
Surely, though, Atkinson’s breakout performance in the Raiders’ 31-10 preseason-opening victory at the Arizona Cardinals Friday had to give the coaching staff some food for thought, no?
“You want to have confidence,” Atkinson told reporters after rushing for 97 yards and two touchdowns on five carries.