Seattle Seahawks fans can be excused for having minor anxiety attacks when both Charles Cross and Josh Jones appeared on the injury report as DNPs. That means neither practiced earlier this week, and with the San Francisco 49ers looming on a short week of prep, that is what we might call a problem.
Fortunately, coach Mike Macdonald helped allay those fears on Wednesday when he reported that Jones very well could be ready to go come Saturday. He even hinted that Cross could be back on the field, though that sounds far less likely.
Cross has been Seattle’s steadiest lineman since he came to town in the first round of the 2022 draft. He plays the crucial left tackle spot, protecting Sam Darnold’s blindside. Cross has missed the last two weeks with a hamstring injury, and Jones, signed to be the team’s swing tackle this last offseason, has filled in admirably.
But were he also unable to go against the 49ers, it would leave the Seahawks scrambling.
Who steps up if the Seattle Seahawks are down two left tackles?
Good teams can usually survive an injury – even if it is to a vital player. But hardly any teams are equipped to handle multiple losses at the same position. NFL rosters simply aren’t big enough to go three deep.
Though it does not appear that the Hawks will be faced with this problem on Saturday, it is important to remember that Jones is coming into the game a little beat up. He will probably start the game. But what if he cannot finish? Who does offensive line coach John Benton have ready in reserve?
Seattle has not needed a fourth tackle this season. The backup tackles after Jones – Mason Richman and Amari Kight – have been on the field for a total of three offensive snaps. On all three occasions, they reported as eligible receivers, essentially serving as an additional tackle.
When the Seahawks have wanted to beef up the line on short yardage plays this season, they have usually opted for 12 or 13 personnel alignments, preferring to have the 266-pound tight end Nick Kallerup on the field.
But if Jones should tweak his ankle or knee (both were listed as problems on the injury report), they need a genuine tackle. Based on recent weeks, it would seem that Kight, the undrafted free agent out of Central Florida, is the first choice. With Cross out, he has been active the last two weeks, though he was only needed on special teams.
Earlier this season, when Jones missed a few weeks, Seattle alternated between using Kight and Richman. Both have ample college experience but practically none in the pros. Kight looks the part a bit more, with the longer arms teams usually want for a tackle. He also played a lot on the right side in college.
Richman was a very solid right left tackle for Iowa. Entering the draft, there was a lot of speculation that he would be shifted to guard in the NFL, largely based on his shorter-than-ideal arms. But Seattle has kept him at tackle thus far.
There are other slightly more out-of-the-box options that the Seahawks might consider. Several of their other offensive linemen have ample college experience at tackle.
It would seem unlikely they would consider moving either Jalen Sundell or Grey Zabel out to right tackle, though both played on the edge in college. Moving either would cause more disruption across what has been a very stable offensive line. Those types of moves would only occur in an emergency.
Bryce Cabeldue is a slightly more realistic option. Cabeldue has served along with Olu Oluwatimi and Christian Haynes as the Hawks’ primary interior line backups this year. The rookie sixth-round draft pick has gotten onto the field for a few snaps in about half of Seattle’s games. The total is just 24 (with another 32 on special teams), but that is far more action than either Richman or Kight has seen.
Cabeldue played a lot of right tackle at Kansas but also played on the left side in his senior season.
Assuming the coaching staff is confident in Jones’ health, it is likely they go into Saturday night with Kight active, serving as the first backup. They might opt for Richman instead, but if both are active, it would be a sign they are worried about Jones’ ability to finish the game.