To move Cross, or not to move Cross?

[LickMyNuts]

Still feels like he needs another year. Both our Tackles were clearly playing thru some stuff last year. (damn, that sounded like Pete)

Show me an NFL lineman who isn’t playing through some stuff.

Lucas was legitimately hurt though.

 

[LickMyNuts]

Our starting LT Charles Cross, he played ok in his rookie season although outshined by Lucas at RT. He was injured in his sophomore season but still graded out ok. I noticed that he got pushed around some, and often couldn't stop the pass rusher after contact, even when his hands landed on the chest of his opponents. Not sure if it was skill or strength?

Is he still our franchise LT? Or a chance of position will maximize his potential?

This is a great topic. To me it’s a question of what do we want to do with the run game?

He’s a bit lighter than ideal for a left tackle and he’s not making up for it with attitude.

I also think our scheme and team was too vanilla and allowed the defense to dictate our offense.

 

[RiverDog]

Looking at how our Oline graded out on PFF is appears we may have a couple of decent tackles in Cross and Lucas. It takes time for T's to git gud (health caveats always apply). Cross is our highest rated T at #42 (@ 75% of snaps). Many of the highest rated T's didn't start hitting their stride until year 3, so perhaps we have that on tap for one or both.

According to PFF our G play is more concerning. Our highest rated G is Lewis (#49) and he and Haynes appear to have regressed in 2023. This may be an area JS needs to focus on in the draft.

I can't seem to find any recent data on the Cross knee injury, anyone got anything?

Don't forget about center. Over the past two seasons, our centers (Blythe in '22, Brown in '23) have graded out very poorly. This season, Brown graded out at #27 out of 36 centers.

 

[SeaWolv]

Don't forget about center. Over the past two seasons, our centers (Blythe in '22, Brown in '23) have graded out very poorly. This season, Brown graded out at #27 out of 36 centers.

Yeah but Oluwatimi is going to be good, you watch.

Edit: So is Mike Morris for that matter.

 

[RiverDog]

Yeah but Oluwatimi is going to be good, you watch.

Edit: So is Mike Morris for that matter.

We'll see about Olu. He's a bit smallish in stature, not real physical, which is why he dropped into the 5th round. Evan Brown definitely wasn't the answer, so I'm all for giving Olu a chance. But until Olu actually does something, the center position remains one of the weakest positions on the team.

 

[Smellyman]

Cross is an above average LT. Consistently good. Not Great but good. We don't need to replace him. He doesn't need top tier tackle money. If both parties can agree to that there is no need to move on. Let the money match the play.

If you can put 5 consistently good linemen together you have a situation where the sum is greater than its parts line. That's tremendous value in the NFL.

Should you be drafting Tackles? Yes. 3rd/4th round T/G's. Look for potential. Use your higher end draft Capital for other Premium positions. Cross could play for 10 years plus. Use this time to develop T and get the other positions right.

I don't want to move him off of LT, since he is still growing, but was he really better than half of the other LTs in the league?

 

[nwHawk]

Keep Cross at LT. This offseason get him on a real strength and conditioning program. Hopefully, he can add 5-7 lbs of muscle.

Moving him inside is not a good idea.

 

[12forlife]

I think this all depends on Lucas's knee?? If his knee looks like it is going to be a lingering issue, then this is what I could see happening.
Draft a new LT with attitude, then move Cross to RT (will cheapin extension), move Lucas to RG. Roll with Olu this year @ Center.
If they believe Lucas's knee is a go, then leave the Tackles alone, and draft JPJ, look for guards later in the draft or FA.

 

[Mad Dog]

It just seems to me that the defensive front seven is such a bigger need provided we resign Lewis.

 

[nwHawk]

Install a dominant LG between Olu Olu and Cross, and I suspect Cross will look like an improved player. I don’t want Lewis back next season.

 

[SeaWolv]

We'll see about Olu. He's a bit smallish in stature, not real physical, which is why he dropped into the 5th round.

You do know Oluwatimi won the Rimington Award AND the Outland Trophy. Yeah he's only 6'2" but there are other successful 6'2" centers in the league like Tyler Linderbaum. Size is important but so is intelligence and Oluwatimi is game smart.

 

[nwHawk]

Just listen to the way Olu barked out the line calls as a rookie. That’s a man. He was a rookie last year, but I feel like he will make a big leap with film study this offseason.

To me, Pete was big on loyalty. They brought Ben in to play, nothing seemed to deviate from that. ComPete stopped many years ago.

 

[RiverDog]

You do know Oluwatimi won the Rimington Award AND the Outland Trophy. Yeah he's only 6'2" but there are other successful 6'2" centers in the league like Tyler Linderbaum. Size is important but so is intelligence and Oluwatimi is game smart.

Yes, I'm aware that Olu won those awards. I'm also aware that they shouldn't and aren't used in player appraisals. If they meant anything, he wouldn't have fell clear into the 5th round.

I'm not casting doubt on Olu's ability. All I'm doing is noting a fact, that the center position has been a problem in the past and will continue to be a problem in the future until Olu or someone else proves otherwise.

 

[RiverDog]

Just listen to the way Olu barked out the line calls as a rookie. That’s a man. He was a rookie last year, but I feel like he will make a big leap with film study this offseason.

To me, Pete was big on loyalty. They brought Ben in to play, nothing seemed to deviate from that. ComPete stopped many years ago.

Olu didn't see a lot of playing time last year, so I'm not nearly as comfortable with him as others here appear to be. Keep in mind that he was unable to beat out one of the worst performing centers in the league. Were they just wanting to give him some time on the sidelines before they threw him to the wolves? Maybe, maybe not.

 

[nwHawk]

Seahawks were severely out coached most of the season, some players regressed, as some have said loyalty may have played a role in playing time.

Evan Brown signed as a free agent from a very good Lions line, and there probably was a feeling that the longer he played with the starters the better the line would gel. But the line started decent, and without Lucas, you saw what Brown could do as the division figured him out. Brown was not very good, but I think he fit Shane Waldo’s game.

 

[toffee]

Just listen to the way Olu barked out the line calls as a rookie. That’s a man. He was a rookie last year, but I feel like he will make a big leap with film study this offseason.

To me, Pete was big on loyalty. They brought Ben in to play, nothing seemed to deviate from that. ComPete stopped many years ago.

Barking isn't going to make him a great center. How do I know? 12s were impressed by Austin Blythe, dude excelled in barking.

 

[Fudwamper]

To go with this question asked, what lineman made improvements year after year under Carol? He was here for what 14 years?

 

[RiverDog]

Seahawks were severely out coached most of the season, some players regressed, as some have said loyalty may have played a role in playing time.

Evan Brown signed as a free agent from a very good Lions line, and there probably was a feeling that the longer he played with the starters the better the line would gel. But the line started decent, and without Lucas, you saw what Brown could do as the division figured him out. Brown was not very good, but I think he fit Shane Waldo’s game.

Evan Brown was a journeyman if there ever was one. Before we signed him, he had never won a starting position outright, had bounced around 4 different teams in 6 years, including being relegated to the practice squad at one point or another on the 4 teams he played for prior to signing with us. He had played more guard than he had center.

I don't know what it was they saw of him that made them think that he was the solution, but it sure wasn't from anything on his resume. It was another example of Pete shopping in the bargain basement for offensive linemen.

 

[SeaWolv]

Yes, I'm aware that Olu won those awards. I'm also aware that they shouldn't and aren't used in player appraisals. If they meant anything, he wouldn't have fell clear into the 5th round.

Maybe he fell to the 5th round because people make assumptions about his ability due to him being 6'2".

 

[rigelian]

It just seems to me that the defensive front seven is such a bigger need provided we resign Lewis.

I wondering if the mess in the middle was a more a function of the players or a function of a half assed defensive scheme. Frankly, I think it was a function of both. Half assed scheme combined with players that didn't fit. I assume will have a different scheme this year...but could that mitigate the number of players we might need.