Chris Watt appeared in 47 straight games, 34 of which he started, at Notre Dame. He saw the field in 50 games total, twice sidelined as a senior to a pair of relatively minor knee injuries. He was a rock at left guard, someone familiar with the trenches and not the tub, a darn near unbreakable presence on the Irish offensive line.

Then, Watt came to San Diego.

He cannot catch a break.

Sources said that the Chargers guard-center underwent arthroscopic knee surgery this month. He is a candidate to begin training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform List, although there is hope that might not be necessary. His recovery timetable from the procedure is not overly extensive, as he works to resume football activities without limitation this summer.


It’s been a while since he last did.

The Chargers drafted Watt in the 2014 third round with an eye toward him becoming their center of the future. Injuries kept on getting in the way.

A concussion sidelined him for part of his rookie training camp — he was practicing as the first-team right guard at the time. He began the season as a reserve but later saw time at both right guard and starting center. A December ankle injury then ended his year and required offseason surgery.

1 / 34 San Diego Chargers Keenan Allen signs autographs after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 2 / 34 San Diego Chargers fans Donald Inman and son Colt get an autograph from Denzel Perryman after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 3 / 34 San Diego Chargers Keenan Allen goes in Snapchat with fans after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 4 / 34 San Diego Chargers Jason Verrett signs autographs after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 5 / 34 San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon signs autographs during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 6 / 34 San Diego Chargers running back Danny Woodhead signs autographs during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 7 / 34 San Diego Chargers fans Donald Inman and son Colt wait for an autograph after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 8 / 34 San Diego Chargers King Dunlap signs autographs after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 9 / 34 A San Diego Chargers fan holds up a license plate after a mini camp practice. (K.C. Alfred) 10 / 34 San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon signs autographs during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 11 / 34 San Diego Chargers Philip Rivers drops back during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 12 / 34 San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon signs autographs during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 13 / 34 San Diego Chargers Antonio Gates looks on during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 14 / 34 San Diego Chargers Jason Verrett, left, Brandon Flowers, Casey Hayward and Jahleel Addae look on during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 15 / 34 San Diego Chargers Tyrell Williams gets by Jerry Attaochu, 97, during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 16 / 34 San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers throws a pass during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 17 / 34 San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers calls out a play to Hunter Henry (86) during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 18 / 34 San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates catches a pass during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 19 / 34 San Diego Chargers Melvin Gordon runs a play during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 20 / 34 San Diego Chargers Danny Woodhead gets a drink during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 21 / 34 San Diego Chargers Jason Verrett catches a pass during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 22 / 34 San Diego Chargers fans get a look of drills during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 23 / 34 San Diego Chargers receiver Keenan Allen stretches during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 24 / 34 San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates stretches during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 25 / 34 San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers hands off to Danny Woodhead during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 26 / 34 San Diego Chargers Antonio Gates and Philip Rivers (17) joke during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 27 / 34 San Diego Chargers coach Mike McCoy looks on during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 28 / 34 San Diego Chargers Danny Woodhead lines up during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 29 / 34 San Diego Chargers center Matt Slauson lines up during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 30 / 34 San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers throws a pass during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 31 / 34 San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates lines up during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 32 / 34 San Diego Chargers Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett (22) joke during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 33 / 34 San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano looks on during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred) 34 / 34 San Diego Chargers Denzel Perryman greets Damion Square (71) during mini camp. (K.C. Alfred)


That phrase, offseason surgery, is now too familiar.

Watt missed part of last spring and all of this spring to injuries that lingered from the previous year. In 2015, it was the ankle. This year, it was a shoulder. Watt also dealt with a concussion, groin injury and knee ailment last season, his final game coming in Week 8 against the Ravens. He seldom played last season when healthy, stepping in on multiple occasions as an emergency fill-in who, once on the field, clearly was not at 100 percent.

The Chargers signed veteran Matt Slauson in May. He is their center of the present.

They drafted Max Tuerk during the third round in April’s draft. He may be their center of the future.


This leaves Watt having to fight for a job in training camp. He projects as a reserve guard, but given all the injuries the past two years, he must prove that he’s both physically and mentally overcome them and ready to be that rock again.