Seattle Seahawks dealing with an injury to left tackle Charles Cross

The Seattle Seahawks made an interesting decision last offseason in how they were going to handle Charles Cross. The starting left tackle was entering his fourth NFL season, making him eligible for a contract extension. It has become a common practice for teams to get these extensions inked quickly for good players, locking in long-term deals early to keep the cost down as much as possible before the salary cap increases.

The Seahawks did exercise the fifth year option on Cross, as expected, giving them a fifth year of service at below market value while maintaining short-term flexibility. But the extension did not come, with some reports indicating that the Seahawks never got that close with Cross. With two years left before Charles would have a chance to hit free agency, John Schneider seemed content to let things play out.

It’s not yet clear if this was a good decision yet. Pro Football Focus has him well on track to have his best season yet in terms of pressures allowed (24 to this point, with his previous career low at 42 in 2023 when he missed several games) and sacks allowed (2 so far, having allowed at least 6 in each of his first three seasons). However, his grades are down significantly from last season (73.2 vs 82.5, 66.7 run block vs 77.9), and his improvement in raw numbers could be largely attributed to Klint Kubiak’s offense.

Whichever side you buy into, there is a sense that Cross is falling a little short of a true superstar breakout. He’s clearly not ascending to the level of Tristan Wirfs or Rashawn Slater, the premiere young tackles in football, and as he’s now 25 years old there’s a very real chance he’s not going to get there. But there can be no doubt that he’s a crucial piece of the 11-3 Seahawks, who will be sorely missed if he can not go this Thursday.

Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Charles Cross (67) gets set during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings. — Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Charles Cross (67) gets set during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025 in Seattle. | AP Photo/Ben VanHouten

But that has become a realistic possibility. Charles Cross suffered what appeared to be a hamstring injury on Jason Myers’s game winning field goal against Indianapolis on Sunday, missing the victory formation kneeldown. While Macdonald did not address the injury in his postgame press conference, he did acknowledge the next day that Cross was being evaluated and that his availability for Thursday was in question.

I’m not sure what Seattle’s offense would look like without Cross at left tackle. Despite recent hiccups, they rank fifth in the NFL in scoring, and Sam Darnold is the second least sacked quarterback in the league who has played all fourteen games. The Los Angeles Rams have one of the best pass rushes in football, and can throw Byron Young (11 sacks) and Jared Verse (6 sacks despite a sophomore slump) at the edges.

The Seahawks would likely turn to veteran Josh Jones for a start. Signed as a utility backup in the offseason, Jones had spent time with the Cardinals, Texans, and Ravens previously. He’s seen significant reps at three different offensive line positions, but it’s clear that left tackle is his most comfortable place. His only good season according to Pro Football Focus grading was 2022, when he started a majority of the season at the blindside. He also played over 99% of his collegiate snaps there.

However, even in that 2022 ‘breakout’ season, Jones provided play far below the standard of what Cross is giving right now. 27 total pressures allowed on 388 pass block reps, 9 penalties, and anchoring an offense that finished ranking 21st in points and 28th in EPA. When you throw in the nature of the Rams’ defense, which loves to send twists and stunts to really test the awareness of the offensive line, there’s a big and costly downgrade here.

There’s no other realistic candidate to fill in this week. Grey Zabel played left tackle in college, but his 32 inch arms put him in approximately the 2nd percentile for NFL tackles and make it virtually impossible to imagine. Bryce Cabeldue and Mason Richman were both college tackles as well, but they had a similar understanding of needing a pivot inside at the next level, and both have virtually zero NFL experience.

No matter what the solution ends up being, the Seahawks will need to work hard to compensate. With Cross sidelined, the focus on getting the ball out of Darnold’s hands fast will be higher than ever, and the need for a consistent rushing attack will be extreme. It’d be much easier if he could manage to find his way back in time for the game on Thursday.

Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Charles Cross, left, and Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse exchange words. — Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Charles Cross, left, and Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse exchange words during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. | AP Photo/Katie Chin

More Seahawks on SI stories