Seattle Seahawks Need Charles Cross to Fulfill Immense Potential

Formerly a top 10 pick, Charles Cross represents the Seahawks future in the trenches. If he becomes great, a maligned line could finally turn the corner.

September 18, 2022; Santa Clara, California, USA; Seattle Seahawks offensive tackle Charles Cross (67) during the second quarter against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Charles Cross is entering his third season with the team after being the No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and to this point, he hasn't quite lived up to the standards for a top-10 pick, though there have been flashes of brilliance.

Cross, who will turn 24 in November, plays a critical role for the team in protecting Geno Smith's blindside. While Seattle's offensive line has struggled since he arrived, Cross has had his moments where he has looked like a Pro Bowl caliber player when healthy, and his presence still gives the team hope at the position.

Bleacher Report David Kenyon identified each team's "most promising building block" going into the season, and he chose Cross for the Seahawks.

"Because cornerbacks Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon have Pro Bowl nods, Seattle's player is either of its recent first-rounders. But as Jaxon Smith-Njigba is the Seahawks' third receiver, Charles Cross is tasked with locking down Geno Smith's blind side. Cross isn't yet a dominant force, but he's been a steady blocker in two seasons," Kenyon writes.

Cross has only missed three games so far in his brief career, so he's proven to be pretty reliable for the most part, but a toe injury may have hindered him after returning to action last season. Still, he was a Day 1 starter from when he walked in the building out of Mississippi State and he hasn't come close to giving up that spot.

If Cross can continue to develop and take a step in the right direction under new offensive line coach Scott Huff, he could put himself in a position this offseason to begin negotiating for a long-term deal and fully establish his place as one of the most important players on the roster. Such an emergence would also be a major boon for an offense that could be a mid-level offensive line away from unleashing a top-five scoring attack.

Cross and the rest of the Seahawks are getting their final weeks of vacation in before they report to training camp on Tuesday, July 23.