RENTON, Wash. – Concerns about the left tackle situation for the Seahawks going into the NFC championship game can calm down a bit.
Charles Cross is good to go. And so is quarterback Sam Darnold.
The Seahawks starting left tackle did not have a game designation for Sunday’s matchup with the Rams, meaning Cross is expected to start and play after a week where he was limited because of a foot injury.
Cross did not participate in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, but was a full participant on Friday. Cross said he went through plenty of mental reps this week while rehabbing the foot injury.
“I feel like the week went really well, just working with the athletic training staff, creating a plan and being ready for Sunday was the goal,” Cross said. “I feel like we did it and we executed that, so the plan is to go out and play Sunday.”
Cross played 36 snaps against the 49ers before the foot issue became troublesome. Most of Seattle’s starting offensive line was out of the game by the fourth quarter with the exception of left guard Grey Zabel and right tackle Abraham Lucas as both played every snap.
Cross missed the final three games of the regular season due to a hamstring injury he suffered on the game-winning field goal late in the fourth quarter of the Week 15 win over Indianapolis.
Cross said he spent a similar amount of time this week rehabbing the foot as he did the weeks he was trying to return from the hamstring issue.
“It was similar, the amount of time, but just being in the training room, doing stuff outside the building, just doing everything I can to get myself back 100% ready to play,” Cross said.
Darnold was also without a game designation after he was questionable going into last week’s playoff game against San Francisco after suffering an oblique injury in practice.
Darnold was listed as a limited participant all three days of practice and said he would likely go through a similar pregame routine to last week against the 49ers where he didn’t participate in early warmups on the field, opting to do that part of the pregame preparation in the locker room.
“Just having a really good rehab process, the guys in the training room do a really good job with everybody, myself included,” Darnold said. “We’re just taking it day by day and making sure I do all the things I need to do to get ready for Sunday.”
The backup situation behind Cross was a little uncertain as Josh Jones is listed as questionable because of knee and ankle injuries and Amari Kight is doubtful with a knee issue. Jones was listed as a full participant in Friday’s practice after not doing anything on Wednesday and Thursday, which should be a strong indication he would be available. Jones started the final three games of the regular season while Cross was dealing with his hamstring injury, but those leg issues kept him out last week for the playoff opener.
Kight took over at left tackle last week after Cross left the game and because Jones was inactive. Kight did not participate in any practices for this week.
The only other player listed with a game designation is fullback Robbie Ouzts, who is questionable with a neck injury. Linebacker Chazz Surratt, who was designated for return to practice last week, was not activated from injured reserve and will be out for the game.