RENTON – Seahawks offensive tackle Charles Cross now knows he’s staying in Seattle for the rest of the decade.
Wednesday, he was just as happy to be back on the field at the VMAC for an afternoon.
A day after signing a multiyear contract extension that reportedly lasts through the 2030 season and will pay him an average of $26.1 million a year, Cross returned to practice after missing the last three games with a hamstring injury.
While the Seahawks have the week off after winning a bye into the divisional round of the playoffs, they are practicing Wednesday and Thursday to stay sharp, work on fundamentals and also focus on some issues coaches felt arose in the last few weeks and need some improvement.
The Seahawks began their practice on the outdoor grass fields at the VMAC in a steady downpour before moving inside for more work.
When practice began, Cross was on the field for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury while blocking on Jason Myers’ game-winning field goal against Indianapolis on Dec. 14.
Cross said he didn’t care about the inclement weather.
“For me personally I was just happy to be back at practice,” he said.
The Seahawks used veteran Josh Jones the last three games at left tackle with Cross sidelined.
Cross, taken by the Seahawks with the ninth overall pick of the 2022 draft out of Mississippi State with a selection the team got in the Russell Wilson trade, had missed only three games in his career before the last three. Those came in 2023 when he suffered a toe injury in the first game of the season.
“It’s been interesting (sitting out) the past couple weeks,” he said. “Been big games I wanted to play in. But just being smart about the situation and moving forward accordingly.”
Cross was injured when he appeared to do the splits while Colts players landed on him trying to block Myers’ kick.
It looked bad in the moment, but Cross said he had no concern about it being a serious injury.
“I didn’t have a fear of not being able to come back,” he said. “I believe in myself and I believe in the training staff, doing everything I can to come back and help the team.”
That the Seahawks were able to get through the last three games without using him means Cross has the bye week and another week of practice before playing, meaning more than a full month off between games. The hope is that will allow the injury to be even more healed.
“I feel like it’ll help me a lot just being able to recover and get the (practice) reps,” Cross said of the bye. “Get more reps in and refine what I’ve been working on.”
Last spring, the Seahawks exercised a fifth-year option on Cross’ rookie deal to keep him under contract for 2026 with a salary of $17.56 million. Each side said the goal was to get a long-term deal done sooner rather than later.
Full details have yet to be revealed, but the contract is reported to include $75 million guaranteed, the third-highest for a left tackle, according to OvertheCap.com.
“It means a lot to me,” Cross said. “This team, this organization – I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. This place is definitely special.”
As for the timing of the deal, Cross smiled: “I just let my agent do the job and this is where we’re at.”
Before the season the Seahawks signed right tackle Abraham Lucas to a three-year extension, keeping him with the team through 2028. Left tackle Grey Zabel is also under contract through 2028 via the terms of his rookie deal and center Jalen Sundell and guard Anthony Bradford are each under contract through 2026.
“I’m very excited about it,” Cross said of the stability on the line. “Just the O-line room, the guys in there, they’re great guys. I feel like we have a great rapport. We’re just one big brotherhood. So just continue to grow and get better from week-to-week and go on from year-to-year.”
Kubiak gets one more interview request
The number of teams that want to talk to Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has risen to five with the Baltimore Ravens reportedly putting in a request. The NFL Network first reported the news Wednesday.
Other teams reported to have put in requests to talk to the 38-year-old Kubiak include Atlanta, Arizona, the New York Giants and Las Vegas.
The Ravens’ job became open Tuesday when Baltimore fired 18-year coach John Harbaugh.
Kubiak’s father, Gary, spent one season as the offensive coordinator for the Ravens in 2014 under John Harbaugh.
Defensive coordinator Aden Durde has also drawn some interest with the Cleveland Browns putting in a request for an interview.
Arroyo returns to practice
The Seahawks made one move Wednesday, designating rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo as returning to practice off injured reserve. That opens a 21-day window for Arroyo to practice before he has to go on the 53-man roster or stay on IR.
Arroyo was placed on IR before the Colts game on Dec. 14 with a knee injury. The 50th overall pick in the 2025 draft, Arroyo caught 15 passes for 179 yards in 13 games before going on IR.
Teams who make the playoffs can designate two additional players to return to practice along with any unused designations from the regular season. The Seahawks had one left over, so using one on Arroyo means they have two left.
Among players who are on IR who might return to practice are linebacker Chazz Surratt and running back George Holani. Other players on IR, notably receiver Tory Horton, are not expected to be healthy enough to make it back.
Williams lauds practice intensity
With no opponent set yet and this being an off week, the Seahawks do not have to produce an injury report.
Veteran defensive lineman Leonard Williams spoke to reporters and said he got the day off.
But Williams said he liked what he saw of what he watched.
“It was a pretty competitive practice just from watching,” Williams said. “The guys were going at it. Again, that’s a testament to our team. It would be easy to go out there and be lackadaisical and relax and chill on a bye week, but guys are out there competing and trying to find ways to get better. That’s what’s been getting us here.”