The Seattle Seahawks were dealt more bad injury news on Thursday, as left tackle Charles Cross will potentially be sidelined for the remainder of training camp following finger surgery on his right hand, per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer.
The Seahawks are already without starters Johnathan Hankins and Uchenna Nwosu (injuries) and starting inside linebacker Ernest Jones IV is away from the team due to a personal matter. Recently signed cornerback Shaquill Griffin is also away from the team for personal reasons.
Cross hopes to be back by the regular season opener, Breer reported. But that could mean he will miss the rest of training camp and the preseason entirely.
ESPN's Brady Henderson added context, stating that Cross' finger "had become dislocated multiple times. He’d been practicing through the injury and could play with it if he had to. But when it popped out again, he opted for surgery with the expectation that he’ll be back by Week 1."
Henderson included a clip from Tuesday where Cross and rookie first-round pick Grey Zabel were shotgunning Gatorade cans, and Cross' right pinky and ring fingers can be seen taped together.
Cross had the surgery on Wednesday, Henderson reported. Swing tackle Josh Jones or second-year former sixth-round pick Michael Jerrell will likely slot into the first-team offense in Cross' absence.
Through three seasons with the Seahawks, Cross has had almost a spotless bill of health. He missed three games in 2023 due to a toe injury, but has started every other game since he was drafted No. 9 overall out of Mississippi State in 2022.
Of course, it's good news that Cross took care of the injury before it held him out of any regular season action. But it also means he will get fewer reps in Klint Kubiak's new offensive system between now and the season opener — valuable time that Cross and Zabel could be furthering their synergy on the left side of the line.
