Over the last 15 years, the Seattle Seahawks have been known to cheap out on the offensive line, often resulting in substandard play. Almost all fans of this team can recall numerous bad memories of watching the line play during the Pete Carroll era. There was some bad luck, but plenty of negligence as well, as the team mostly got what they paid for.Respect For The BlindsideBut to their credit, the team generally gave the left tackle position the attention and respect it deserved. The very first draft pick under the Schneider-Carroll duo was actually a left tackle, Russell Okung with the 6th overall selection. That worked out fairly well. There were some injuries, and he wasn’t given a second contract, but he gave the team six good years.Seattle Seahawks tackle Charles Cross (67) against the Arizona Cardinals. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesAfter trying to skate by with George Fant and Rees Odhiambo for a year-and-a-half, the team then re-enforced the spot with a trade for three-time pro bowler Duane Brown. They gave up significant assets, but ended up with a reliable blindside blocker for four-and-a-half seasons. When he departed after 2021, the team wasted no time getting a quality replacement.Another Top Ten PickThe Seahawks used their first draft pick on a left tackle again in 2022, picking up Cross from Mississippi State. He was immediately the starter, punching in a full season of respectable play, providing an immediate return on the Russell Wilson trade. He missed some time with turf toe in 2023, but still gave 14 quality games for the team.Seattle Seahawks tackle Charles Cross (67) against the Arizona Cardinals. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images2024 was a show-me year for Cross, and the results were mixed. He gave up a very high number of quarterback pressures, but a lot of that could be attributed to the Seattle offense having an incredibly high pass rate under offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb. Pro Football Focus graded him very well, and it seemed like he was on his way.However, the team wasn’t entirely convinced yet. Cross was eligible for an extension last offseason, but despite some discussions, nothing was inked other than the fifth-year option. They wanted to see what he could do in a more balanced offense first. Reasonable, but risky, given that the price would only be going up if Cross played well.Earning The PaydaySeattle Seahawks offensive tackle Charles Cross (67) works during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons. | AP Photo/Danny KarnikCross’s play evened out in 2025. His grades from PFF went down a bit, but he allowed far fewer pressures and a lower pressure rate thanks to a run-first offense. Other than an injury sustained in December that cost him three games, things couldn’t have gone much better for Charles. Perhaps he’s not quite a top tier blindside blocker, but he’s very good.The team didn’t even wait for the offseason to get him locked up. Four years, $104.4 million, on top of the fifth-year option they had already clicked in. He responded with a strong postseason, and is now the long-term solution at left tackle. His tenure there should surpass Okung’s and Brown’s in length, giving Seattle something they haven’t had since Walter Jones.— Enjoy free coverage of the Super Bowl champions from Seattle Seahawks On SI —Sign Up For the Seahawks Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Seattle Seahawks NewsletterAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow