How much will Charles Cross' fifth-year option cost Seahawks?

The Seattle Seahawks may have plenty of issues along the offensive line, but at the very least, they have a quality left tackle to build around.

Charles Cross, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has proven himself to be a very capable starter in his first three NFL seasons. The 24-year-old earned a 77.9 run block grade, an 81.3 pass block grade and an 82.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus this season, ranking in the top 16 among tackles in all three categories.

Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Charles Cross blocks against the San Francisco 49ers — September 18, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Charles Cross (67) during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Cross is the type of player the Seahawks should want to keep around for the long haul, and the first step in doing so should be to pick up his fifth-year option for 2026. Now, they know exactly how much that option will cost.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero released a list of the numbers for all fifth-year options from the 2022 draft. As an offensive lineman who's yet to make a Pro Bowl appearance, Cross' option will come in at around $17.5 million.

That’s a potential $17.5M fifth-year option for Charles Cross, if exercised. https://t.co/uVBAzqZbgs
— Dugar, Michael-Shawn (@MikeDugar) February 28, 2025

That's a significant increase for Cross, who is set to carry a cap hit of around $6.8 million in 2025. Based on his play, though, he's definitely earned the raise.

However, it's worth noting that Seahawks' trends when it comes to the fifth-year option. They didn't pick up a single one on players they drafted between 2011 and 2020, being the only team in the league to not exercise one in that span. Granted, they didn't really draft a player worth picking up the option for during that time, so Cross could very well be the one to break the trend.

Ideally, the Seahawks would like to sign Cross to a long-term extension, which he is eligible for starting this offseason. At the very least, picking up the fifth-year option gives them much more time to iron out a deal.

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