As the Seattle Seahawks prepare for their biggest regular-season showdown in years, the team finds itself facing a mountain of uncertainty on the offensive line. With the NFC West title and the conference’s coveted No. 1 seed hanging in the balance, the Seahawks’ depth at left tackle is being tested like never before ahead of their Saturday night clash against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi’s Stadium.
The drama began to unfold on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, when the Seahawks held a walkthrough practice instead of their usual full session. The reason? The quick turnaround for their Week 18 matchup, set for January 3, 2026, meant an early start to preparations. But the injury report that emerged from this walkthrough painted a worrisome picture for Seattle fans.
Charles Cross, the team’s starting left tackle, was listed as a non-participant due to a hamstring injury. Cross’s absence has been a recurring theme, as the injury is expected to sideline him for the remainder of the regular season. This alone would be enough to cause concern, but the situation was compounded by the status of his backup, Josh Jones.
Jones, who has admirably stepped in at left tackle for the past two games, was also absent from Tuesday’s walkthrough. According to Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic, Jones is nursing both ankle and knee injuries, presumably sustained during the Seahawks’ 27-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, December 28, 2025. Jones played every one of the team’s 66 offensive snaps in that game, a testament to his endurance but perhaps also a factor in his current ailments.
“Jones did not participate in Tuesday’s walkthrough practice due to ankle and knee injuries,” reported Dugar, echoing the sense of urgency around the Seahawks’ offensive line. The significance of this development wasn’t lost on the Seahawks’ staff or their fans. With both Cross and Jones sidelined, the team is staring down the possibility of turning to their third option at left tackle for the most important game of the season.
Enter Amari Kight, the undrafted rookie who, until this week, had been biding his time on the practice squad. On Tuesday, the Seahawks announced that Kight had been signed to the 53-man active roster, a move necessitated by NFL rules. No player can be elevated from the practice squad more than three times in a season, and Kight had already reached his limit after being called up twice in recent weeks and once in September.
Kight’s journey to this moment has been anything but ordinary. A two-time All-State selection at Thompson High School in Alabaster, Alabama, he played college ball at Alabama from 2019 through 2022 before transferring to UCF for his final collegiate season. The Seahawks brought him aboard as an undrafted rookie in May 2025, and he quickly made an impression in the preseason, logging 106 offensive snaps and 10 special-teams plays over three games.
His NFL debut came on September 25, 2025, in a 23-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals, where he saw limited action on both offense and special teams. Since then, he’s been quietly contributing, including special-teams appearances in the overtime thriller against the Los Angeles Rams on December 18 and again in Sunday’s victory over the Panthers.
With the stakes as high as they come, Kight could be called upon to protect the blind side against a ferocious 49ers pass rush. It’s a daunting prospect for any rookie, let alone one who started the year on the practice squad. Yet, the Seahawks have little choice but to trust in their next man up.
The injury woes don’t end at left tackle. Wide receiver and return specialist Rashid Shaheed was listed as a limited participant in Tuesday’s walkthrough as he works through the NFL’s concussion protocol. His status remains up in the air for Saturday’s contest, with the team awaiting the all-clear from medical staff. On a brighter note, safety Coby Bryant, who missed the Panthers game with a knee injury, was able to participate in a limited capacity, a step up from his previous absences.
Elsewhere on the roster, other Seahawks players were listed as full participants, providing at least some measure of stability heading into the week’s practices. But all eyes remain fixed on the left side of the offensive line, where the outcome of the NFC West may well be decided.
The 49ers, for their part, are dealing with injury concerns of their own. Left tackle Trent Williams, a cornerstone of San Francisco’s offensive line, was a non-participant due to a hamstring injury suffered against the Chicago Bears. Running back Christian McCaffrey (back) and fullback Kyle Juszczyk (knee) were also held out, while tight end George Kittle was limited with an ankle issue. The Niners’ injury report is lengthy, but Williams’s status is especially critical as he anchors their protection up front.
The stakes for Saturday’s contest couldn’t be higher. The winner will claim the NFC West crown and secure the top seed in the NFC playoffs, setting the stage for a potential Super Bowl run. For the Seahawks, the path to victory may hinge on the health of a rookie tackle thrust into the spotlight and a battered offensive line striving to hold the line against one of the league’s most formidable defenses.
As the week progresses, the statuses of Cross and Jones will be closely monitored. Both players have two more opportunities to participate in practice ahead of the game, but as of now, their availability remains uncertain. “They will need to continue to be monitored in practice throughout the week,” noted Ari Koslow, Seahawks correspondent, underscoring the sense of anticipation—and anxiety—hovering over Seattle’s preparations.
Fans and analysts alike are left to wonder: Can Amari Kight rise to the occasion if called upon? Will the Seahawks’ patchwork offensive line hold up under the playoff-level pressure of the 49ers’ pass rush? And, perhaps most importantly, will Seattle’s playoff hopes survive this latest test of their depth and resilience?
One thing’s for sure: come Saturday night at Levi’s Stadium, the answers will begin to unfold under the bright lights, with the entire NFC watching. For the Seahawks, it’s a moment of truth—and one that could define their season.
