BROCK AND SALK

Is Seahawks LT Charles Cross poised to take next step?

Aug 1, 2024, 7:52 AM

Seattle Seahawks Charles Cross New York Jets 2023...

Seattle Seahawks left tackle Charles Cross in action during a 2022 game. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

(Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Seattle Seahawks left tackle Charles Cross appears to be making a strong impression at training camp.

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ESPN’s Brady Henderson reported that Cross has stood out at camp, specifically while beating talented edge rusher Uchenna Nwosu in the team’s one-on-one pass rush drills both on Monday and Tuesday.

Seattle Sports’ Mike Salk had a similar assessment after watching Cross get the better of Nwosu on Monday. “(He was) just completely dominating,” Salk said the following morning on Brock and Salk. “Charles Cross was awesome.”

Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, who was at Monday’s practice, also was impressed. “Charles Cross has the look of a guy who could ascend to an All-Pro level,” Breer wrote.

But perhaps the most glowing assessment of Seattle’s third-year starting left tackle came from Nwosu.

“Charles is getting a lot better,” Nwosu told reporters after Tuesday’s practice when asked about Cross’ development. “He’s getting a lot better. He’s getting a lot stronger. His feet have gotten better. Everything has gotten better – his discipline, his eye level, his finishing. Everything about Charles is getting better.

“He’s developing into an All-Pro left tackle, and I can’t wait to see what he does for us on the field this year.”

Cross, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 draft, had a solid first two seasons in the NFL. The 6-foot-5, 311-pounder started every game as a rookie, allowing seven sacks and ranking No. 54 out of 81 tackles in Pro Football Focus grading. Last year, he suffered a nagging toe injury in Week 1 that persisted through the season. He still managed to move up to No. 38 out of 81 tackles in PFF grading, while allowing six sacks in 14 games.

“You look at Charles Cross and a couple of years in, has he been perfect? No,” Salk said Tuesday on Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk. “Is he named the top three guys in the league? Is he elite? Not yet. But of all of the young guys (on the Seahawks) that are striving to get to that elite spot, I would say that I have about as much faith in him getting there as any other young player on this team.”

Why it’s a crucial year for Cross

With Cross entering the third season of his four-year rookie deal, his performance this fall could be pivotal in whether the Seahawks decide to offer him a contract extension and make him a key part of their long-term plans.

“At some point, they’re gonna have to make a decision on whether or not he’s their left tackle of the future,” Salk said two weeks ago while featuring Cross at No. 16 on Brock and Salk’s annual “Most Intriguing Seahawks” rankings.

“They spent obviously a very high draft pick on him. He’s incredibly talented. And he’s been good. … But has he stood out? Not necessarily – not really in a bad way nor a good way, which is why I think it’s still very intriguing. We’re trying to figure out whether or not this guy is an elite left tackle.”

Salk and show producer Maura Dooley both said the uncertainty elsewhere on Seattle’s offensive line this season could impact Cross’ development and make it more challenging to evaluate him.

Starting right tackle Abraham Lucas remains on the physically unable to perform list, with no clear timetable for his return from offseason knee surgery. At right guard, the top two contenders for the starting job appear to be second-year pro Anthony Bradford and rookie third-round pick Christian Haynes. Second-year pro Olu Oluwatimi, who has only one career start, is the front-runner at center. And the favorite at left guard is veteran Laken Tomlinson, who is coming off two down seasons with the New York Jets.

“Don’t you think how that all shakes out is going to impact who (Cross) becomes?” Dooley said. “He could be a very good left tackle, but if the rest of the line is a mess and Abe Lucas isn’t healthy, I don’t know if he can reach his full potential.”

Last year, Cross ranked No. 32 out of 81 tackles in PFF’s pass block grading and No. 50 among tackles in run block grading.

“He’s done very well in pass protection,” Salk said. “Can he start to be a people-mover as well? If he can do all of that with consistency and health this year, yeah, he’s probably a top-10 tackle that you’re looking to sign long-term, which would be great.

“Let’s figure out whether or not he’s somebody that’s going to be a big part of the future,” he added. “And if he is, it goes a long, long way toward stabilizing an offensive line that has been anything but (stable) for the last five, 10 years.”

Listen to Brock and Salk’s interview with Charles Cross on Tuesday at this link or in the first audio player in this story. Listen to Brock and Salk’s “Most Intriguing Seahawks” segment on Cross at this link or in the second audio player in this story. Brock and Salk will feature one player on the list every weekday morning at 9 a.m. leading up to the Seahawks’ Aug. 10 preseason opener.

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Is Seahawks LT Charles Cross poised to take next step?