Seahawks rule out LT Charles Cross for showdown vs Rams

The Seattle Seahawks ruled out left tackle Charles Cross (hamstring) for Thursday night’s massive NFC West showdown against the Los Angeles Rams.

Veteran swing tackle Josh Jones will start in Cross’ place, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald told reporters on Wednesday.

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Macdonald said the team was still determining the severity of Cross’ injury.

“I don’t have a timeframe for you,” Macdonald said. “We’re working through it.”

Meanwhile, the Rams listed six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams (knee, hamstring) as doubtful and defensive end Braden Fiske (ankle) as questionable.

No other Seahawks or Rams received game status designations on Wednesday’s injury reports, which means every other player on each team’s active roster is considered healthy enough to play in Thursday night’s pivotal clash.

Cross injured his hamstring while blocking on Jason Myers’ game-winning 56-yard field goal in the closing seconds of Seattle’s 18-16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.

Cross was listed as a non-participant on all three of the Seahawks’ practice reports this week. All three practices were walkthroughs, so the reports were estimations of what players would have done in a full practice.

Cross has started 62 of 65 games at left tackle since Seattle selected him with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. The only games he’s missed came while he was dealing with a toe injury in 2023.

Jones, a versatile offensive lineman who signed a one-year deal with Seattle in March, has made 24 starts over a six-year NFL career that’s spanned four teams. This will be his first start since Week 3 of the 2023 season with the Houston Texans. He has played 44% of his 1,857 career offensive snaps at left tackle, according to Pro Football Focus.

Jones has played 56 offensive snaps this season, mostly during the fourth quarters of blowout victories. On Sunday, he played three snaps in the second quarter while right tackle Abraham Lucas was being evaluated for a shoulder injury.

Jones worked with Seattle’s first-string offensive line for part of training camp this summer while Cross was recovering from finger surgery.

“He did a great job filling in for Charles when he was going through his training camp stuff,” Macdonald said. “So it’s just like everything else. We’ve had guys that have had opportunities throughout the season, and this is no different. He’s got a great opportunity. He’s prepared. Go out there and play your tail off.”

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