Cross became the first player drafted by the Seahawks to have the fifth year option exercised, and left many fans wondering why the team didn’t simply extend him.
Earlier in May the Seattle Seahawks, as expected, exercised the fifth year option on left tackle Charles Cross. There were certainly fans who found the move surprising, given the estimated $17.5M price tag of the option and the historic frugality of the team when it comes to spending on the offensive line.
However, the reality is that in Cross’ case the fifth year option is a fantastic tool that provides Cross with significant fully guaranteed money, while at the same time affording the team the opportunity to reach a top of market contract extension that is more cap friendly. That last sentence may seem contradictory at first, but once explained in full, it becomes more understandable.
The Left Tackle Market
The starting point for understanding the value of the fifth year option for Cross is the simple fact that starting caliber left tackles get paid, even those who have never made a Pro Bowl.
Due to the difficulty of finding competent offensive linemen in the NFL of today, there are very few left tackles that are comparable to Cross in terms of age and on-field performance in order to understand exactly where the market for a tackle like Cross falls. The full list of starters on multi-year second contracts who will be 27 or younger during the 2025 season is as follows:
- Christian Darrisaw, Minnesota Vikings (26): 4-year, $104M, $26M per year
- Andrew Thomas, New York Giants (26): 5-year, $117.5M, $23.5M per year
- Dan Moore Jr, Tennessee Titans (27): 4-year, $82M, $20.5M per year
- Alaric Jackson, Los Angeles Rams (27): $57.75M, $19.25M per year
- Jaylon Moore, Kansas City Chiefs (27): $30M, $15M per year
- Walker Little, Jacksonville Jaguars (26): $40.5M, $13.5M per year
Some readers are likely immediately gravitating towards those bottom two contracts and wondering why the front office did not simply extend Cross on similar terms. The answer is simple and becomes abundantly clear upon looking at simple metrics for those players.
Taking these metrics one step further and comparing them as rates per thousand snaps played, or roughly a full season of offensive snaps, here is how Cross compares.
That’s it right there. If a team wants a young $13.5M or $15M starting left tackle on the free agent market, they’re signing an unproven veteran with a dozen or two career starts who may or may not actually be any good. In addition, Cross is the youngest of the group, as he won’t be 25 until the week of Thanksgiving.
Of the six tackles on the list who are not Cross, Darrisaw, Thomas, Jackson and Little all signed extensions with the team that drafted them. That means that the only two on the list who hit free agency are the two Moores, whose pay seems to be more than their metrics warrant because that’s what happens in free agency.
Specifically, for those who might be curious, here is a little nugget that was saved a couple of months ago specifically for writing about this topic.
For the “Charles Cross isn’t worth the $18M the fifth year option will cost” crowd https://t.co/uHs7cFpsWY pic.twitter.com/SXUtpoJGx7
— John P Gilbert (@JohnPGilbertNFL) March 10, 2025
Now, there is certainly no shortage of area for debate about the value of PFF grades, but if anyone wishes to wonder how much Cross might get paid if he had been allowed to hit the open market as a free agent next spring, it’s likely in the $25M range. His market rate right now if the team were to sign an extension today is likely in the $22M-$23M range, if not higher.
Which means, putting the pieces together, the reason the Seahawks surprised many fans by exercising the fifth year option on Cross is because the $17.5M price tag is likely $4-$5M lower for 2026 than an extension at market rate. It’s that simple.
Now the question comes down to when the team opts to reach a contract extension with Cross, and whether an extension is reached this offseason or next. Reaching an extension this offseason could present an even bigger cap savings than exercising the fifth year option, while waiting another year until Cross is in the final year of his contract could burn up more cap than the team saved by exercising the option.