Ateman playing more with Bryant sidelined
because I didn’t get my feet down. I told myself I’m going to just have to come back and make a play.”
After spending the first 10 weeks of the season on the practice squad or inactive on game days, Ateman is getting an extended opportunity to play now in the absence of Martavis Bryant, who remains sidelined by a knee injury.
In three games, Ateman has nine catches for 82 yards. He was targeted a team-high 10 times in a loss at Baltimore, yielding just three receptions for 16 yards, and four times against Kansas City, as the Raiders and Carr made a point of getting Nelson (10 catches, 97 yards) more involved.
Head coach Jon Gruden said he thought Ateman “had a couple of chances (Sunday) to make some signature plays I’d like to see him make,” but is also “getting confident” after three games.
“Sometimes you’re a rookie, you think you can play in the NFL, but you don’t really know until you get a chance to go out there and play,” Gruden said. “I think he’s gaining that confidence.
“I think he’s also, in his own mind, got to try to take over and earn this job. This is an opportunity for him to win a job. And he knows he’s got to play better in these next four weeks to do that.”
Bryant has missed the past three games with a posterior cruciate ligament injury that occurred in Week 10 against the Chargers. And his season overall has been sporadic. The Raiders, who dealt a thirdround pick to the Steelers in April for Bryant, waived him amid roster cutdowns before the season, but re-signed him after the opener. In eight games, Bryant has 19 catches for 266 yards and no touchdowns — disappointing for a player who was supposed to be a primary downfield threat.
Offensive coordinator Greg Olson said the Raiders expect Bryant to return this season. Gruden seemed less certain of that Monday, though he said he does hope to see Bryant on the field in the next four weeks.
“We have a lot of plays,” Gruden said. “Hopefully, like I said, Martavis Bryant can start using some of his plays. Because they are getting stale in my office.”
Roster moves: The Raiders on Tuesday signed free-agent defensive end Damontre’ Moore and waived defensive end Fadol Brown. Moore, a third-round pick by the Giants in 2013, played three games last season for Dallas and spent part of training camp in 2016 with the Raiders. Brown played in eight games this season for the Raiders with 17 tackles.