Charles Cross, a key piece of the Seahawks offense since arriving as a first-round pick in 2022, secured his future in Seattle by signing a multi-year contract extension on Tuesday.
Cross was already under contract in 2026 with the Seahawks exercising his fifth-year option earlier this year, but now he will be part of the team’s core for years to come.
“It means a lot to me,” Cross said Tuesday evening after signing his extension. “I feel like ever since I got to Seattle, I’ve created a family bond with my teammates, my coaches, and the entire organization. It just means so much to me. Coming from Laurel, Mississippi, all the way to Seattle, Washington, I’m just blessed for this opportunity and grateful for the people here and the people around me.”
With right tackle Abraham Lucas signing a contract extension in September, and with the rest of the starting line made up of young players, including 2025 first-round pick Grey Zabel, extending Cross gives the Seahawks a chance for some continuity up front for years to come.
“He’s got such a great spirit to him, and he’s a great teammate,” Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said. “Very unselfish, extremely hard worker, humble, confident, all those things. (Leaders) come in all sorts of different personalities, and he’s authentic to him, and I think his teammates really respect the heck out of him. He’s been great for Grey since Grey walked in the door. That’s what you see, and then, he’s just a great person, really is. I don’t know if you’ve gotten to know him, but he’s just a great person that we really respect, and turns out he’s a great football player too.”
Getting this deal done now, right after the Seahawks clinched the NFC’s top seed, is fitting in a way, as his 2022 class played a big role in laying the foundation for what the Seahawks have built this year under John Schneider and Mike Macdonald.
Thanks in part to the haul of picks the Seahawks received in the 2022 trade that sent Russell Wilson to Denver, the Seahawks were able to add several players who are key contributors or starters on the current team, starting with Cross, who was acquired with the first-round pick Seattle got from Denver in 2022. The Seahawks also selected Boye Mafe, Kenneth Walker III, Abraham Lucas, Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen and Dareke Young in that same 2022 draft. Those players, as well as standouts in the following drafts such as Devon Witherspoon, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Derick Hall, Zach Charbonnet, Anthony Bradford, Byron Murphy II, AJ Barner, Grey Zabel and Nick Emmanwori, are all making big contributions to a team that just finished 14-3 to earn an NFC West title and the conference’s top seed.
Cross, a starter from the beginning of his career, has started 62 games over four seasons, including all 17 games in 2022 and 2024. He missed the past three games with a hamstring injury but is expected back for the postseason. And with Cross helping lead the way, Seattle’s line took a big jump this year, helping the team finish the season 10th in rushing yards (123.3 yards per game) while allowing 27 sacks, tied for fifth fewest in the NFL.
“It feels great,” Cross said. “I’m excited about our team and where we can go… I feel like the (offensive line) group together, we’ve bonded a lot better, just the camaraderie in the room, just guys learning each other, knowing each other, being able to trust one another, and I feel like one of the biggest things is just belief in one another, being able to have each other’s back and stand 10 toes down for one another.”
