Seattle Seahawks reward rising star with well-deserved mega pay day to put him atop his position in the NFL
The Seattle Seahawks have given star offensive tackle Charles Cross the biggest deal in franchise history
The Seattle Seahawks are riding high this week after locking up both the No. 1 seed in the NFC and winning the NFC West after taking down the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night. The Seahawks have clinched the bye week for the playoffs, and are looking forward to some rest before their Super Bowl run.
With their regular season wrapped up, the Seahawks turned inward and rewarded one of their best players with a substantial deal to help him celebrate the division title.
Charles Cross earns well-deserved extension
A former first-round pick of the Seahawks from the 2022 NFL Draft, Cross has immediately delivered on his high draft pick status as one of the best pass protectors in the league. However, it’s been the rest of his game that has caught the eye of the league and has earned him this extension. Fellow A to Z Sports writer Adam Holt agrees.
“When you come from a Mike Leach air raid system in college, there will always be questions about your ability to run block at the NFL level. For Cross, he’s proven to be one of the best pass blockers at tackle in the league, while his run blocking has consistently taken steps forward each season in Seattle. The growth has been notable and appreciated in the building, clearly. The OT has also allowed just two sacks this season, according to PFF. While Cross has dealt with injury this season, he’s expected to be a full-go for the postseason and play a key role for Klint Kubiak’s offense that helped the Seahawks earn the top seed in the NFC. You don’t earn this sort of deal unless the franchise sees you as a cornerstone of the future, and Cross certainly fits that bill due to his continued progression and overall upside at one of the most important positions in football. At just 25 years old’ it is fair to assume that Cross and rookie guard Grey Zabel will be valuable pieces for the Seahawks during the Mike Macdonald tenure.”
This season, Cross has stepped up in a key way to keep quarterback Sam Darnold up right. He has allowed just a 7.3% pressure rate, good for fifth-lowest among all left tackles, and has given up just two sacks all season. He missed time at the end of the season, and his absence was keenly felt, as backup Josh Jones surrendered two sacks in their last two games to end the year.
Cross entered the league as a ready-made pass protector and has evolved into becoming one of the most complete tackles in the entire NFL and among the best at his position in the league. This was a no-brainer extension for the Seahawks to lock in early, and now Cross will be under contract through 2030 as their blindside protector.
Seattle Seahawks News
It’s only Sam Darnold’s first season with the Seahawks and he’s already inserted his name into the same record book as Tom Brady and Peyton Manning
Sam Darnold has been playing great football for the Seahawks.
