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“Injuries-Injuries-More Injuries”

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It never ends. Even when they don’t play, the Chargers lose players to injuries.

Now they have given up on a 3rd round draft pick, waiving ex-Notre Dame guard Chris Watt, their supposed starting center of the future.

Name an injury, he probably had it, and this from a guy who was a rock of granite, playing in 44-games with the Fighting Irish in South Bend.

He spent most of last year on IR after surgery. He was ailing this year and started the year on PUP. But once we got to week seven of the season, he had to practice, be activated, placed on injured reserve, or cut loose.

The Chargers chose the final move, maybe because he just never got healthy, or maybe because of the NFL salary cap.

It’s been nothing but ailments since he got here, and it’s too bad, because he seemed like the perfect heir apparent to Nick Hardwick, who replaced Courtney Hall, who replaced Donnie Macek.

The Chargers have had the luxury of three quality centers in just over 30-years, as a tough, very demanding, violently physical position.

Watt came with a game plan, to move from guard to center.

He was smart, street tough, resilient, intelligent and with an inner fire. Talking to him about his career and his philosophies, fired you up.

You’d come away and say I like the kid’s spunk, spark and smarts.

But he could not fire off the ball and make a difference. He couldn’t stay ont he field.

Injuries of all kinds.

A significant ankle injury. A shoulder injury. A scary concussion. A knee.

And it went on and on.

The Chargers have gone thru four centers in the time since Watt arrived, trying to buy time to get him healthy.

Matt Slauson, a veteran warrior is holding down the spot now.

Maybe Watt winds up on the developmental squad, since he has missed so much time.

Or maybe he goes into retirement, saying he gave it his best, and his body gave out.

It’s tough. You cannot blow 3rd round draft picks, though this is not the Chargers fault.

You look at the Chargers injured reserve list and shake your head. You wonder why they have 12-veterans on IR, all key components to the team, and 17-on the list overall.

And you look at the Raiders, who haven’t had a major injury in two years.

No one has an explanation, because San Diego’s woes are not training issues, they are football related-hit issues in a game.

The injury black cloud just won’t go away. Chris Watt, one a promising prospect, is the latest to get his parade rained on by that injury cloud.

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