Former Top 10 Pick Delivers Strong Message on Seahawks Future

Left tackle Charles Cross of the Seattle Seahawks still has work to do to make his first Pro Bowl or All-Pro team in the NFL. But the 24-year-old has already made Seahawks history as the team’s first player to receive his fifth-year option.

The option in Cross’s rookie contract will keep him in Seattle through the 2026 season. But the offensive tackle made clear during the team’s mandatory minicamp that he wants to stay with the Seahawks beyond even next season.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but Seattle,” Cross told reporters on June 11, via Seattle Sports’ Cameron Van Til. “I love the fans here; I love the team.

“It’s one of the greatest organizations in the NFL. I like it here a lot.”

The Seahawks drafted Cross at No. 9 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Cross was one of many players the Seahawks landed in the draft with the picks the team received in the Russell Wilson trade with the Denver Broncos.

In three seasons, Cross has started 48 games. The tackle started all 17 contests for Seattle during 2024.

LT Charles Cross Not Concentrated on Seahawks Contract

Although Cross emphasized to the media on June 11 that he wants his NFL future to be in Seattle, the tackle initially tried to downplay any potential contract talks.

Cross can’t become a free agent until 2027, but the team could begin negotiations much sooner. Players often prefer that because of the long-term security a new contract provides.

But that isn’t the case with Cross. The left tackle expressed that to reporters at minicamp.

“I’m just worried about that right now and that’s it,” Cross said. “We’ll get to that when the time comes.”

The Seahawks originally scheduled the team’s minicamp to occur June 17-19. But the team moved up the minicamp a week earlier.

With the scheduling change, Seattle has concluded its offseason program. The players will return to the team for the start of training camp on July 23.

Cross Again Set to Anchor Seahawks Offensive Line

There have been a lot of disappointing investments in the Seahawks offensive line over recent years. Cross, though, has been a major bright spot.

Cross finished among the top left tackles in the league on Pro Football Focus’ player grades last year despite playing on a Seahawks line that significantly struggled with consistency.

“Even though he was playing on arguably the worst offensive line in the NFL, Cross ranked 10th among offensive tackles in PFF overall grade (82.5),” wrote PFF’s Zoltán Buday.

All the more reason for the Seahawks to eventually sign Cross to a longer-term deal.

Van Til wrote on June 14 that this offseason, Cross became the first Seahawks player to ever receive his fifth-year option. Fifth-year options are available only for first-round picks, and they are often an indication of how well an early draft selection has lived up to his NFL expectations.

Previously, the Seahawks declined picking up fifth-year options on their other six first-rounders since the fifth-year option clause entered the NFL’s CBA in 2011.

That’s a clear sign Seattle hasn’t drafted very well in the first round over the past decade. But for Cross, it’s another reason the Seahawks should be interested in keeping the left tackle beyond 2026.