HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610) -- While it appears Texans management would like to downplay Deshaun Watson's uncertain status with the team as much as possible, one newcomer is acknowledging the impact.
For Texans wide receiver Anthony Miller, it's important to keep his nose to the ground. The Texans' offensive playbook looked foreign to him when he first looked at it after being traded from the Chicago Bears last month just before training camp.
Miller can't really afford to be distracted by the Watson situation -- whether he's practicing, or will ever play for the team again, or if he'll be suspended under the league's personal conduct policy.
When he joined In The Loop after Friday's practice, Miller explained why Watson is not a distraction, while acknowledging the quarterback's significance on the team.
"I'm just blocking it out," Miller told ITL's John Lopez and Landry Locker. "I really can't focus on who's the quarterback. Just focus on my job, my assignment when I get out there, because I feel like that would distract me from what I need to do. So, I'm pretty sure they'll work that out and however it may go, the show must go on. We've got to ball out, regardless.
"It's really not hard (to block out). That's a grown man. He has his business going on. It definitely affects the team, whether he plays or not. But like I've said, we've got to succeed, regardless. We've got to win, regardless. And we're going to find a way to do that."
Most projections have the Texans playing a losing season, but obviously players take exception to this.
If training camp is an indicator of who will contribute, Miller has to be toward the top of the list for players to watch.
Essentially swop him for an aging Randall Cobb, who the Texans traded to the Green Bay Packers shortly after bringing in Miller, and they suddenly look more electric in the slot.
Miller's track speed allows him to line up anywhere as a threat.
"He's a very shifty guy," Texans cornerback Desmond King II said Thursday of Miller. "He's really smart on how to play his leverage on any cornerback, any DB, and he knows how to get open. He got really good hands, and he knows what to do when he gets the ball in his hands. He's a really good guy."
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Instead of worrying about what happens with Watson, Miller is already building a rapport with Tyrod Taylor, who is actually expected to throw him passes this season.
Miller has credited Taylor with helping him know where he needs to be on plays while he still learns the concepts.
Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly said when the Texans traded for Miller, he was immediately on the phone with him, emailing formations and trying to get him caught up with the scheme.
There is not much time to waste, with the Texans' first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m.
Kelly earlier this week described Miller as someone who is incredibly competitive, evident in the catches he makes.
"He's got really good play strength. He's got good change of direction. He's got good size for the position we ask him to play," Kelly said Wednesday. "So, R.P. (wide receivers coach Robert Prince), (assistant wide receivers coach) Ben (McDaniels), Anthony, they've all done a good job coming in here. ...
"He's doing a good job, putting in the work to make sure he is getting himself back to where we need him to get to, to trust him to go out there and make plays."