Sean Payton: Saints have no plans to sign Johnny Manziel or Malcolm Butler

New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton confirmed that he had breakfast with Johnny Manziel before the Super Bowl in Houston last month. However Payton downplayed reports that his team was considering a deal for the disgraced free agent quarterback.

“It was my first time having a chance to talk to him. I’ll leave it at that,” Payton said Wednesday at the NFC coaches breakfast at the league meetings in Phoenix. “That was just what it was. I’m sure he’s got a handful of things he’s got to do step-wise to get himself back in position to sign with a club and play football again. Made sense to me to get to know him a little bit.”

Manziel was out of football in 2016 after two tumultuous years with the Cleveland Browns, who selected him in the first round of the 2014 draft. Manziel struggled both on the field and off and served a four-game suspension last year for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. He was also involved in a domestic violence incident with his former girlfriend.

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Manziel is now working with quarterbacks coach George Whitfield, who trained him before the draft, and has re-signed with agent Erik Burkhardt.

Payton’s meal with Manziel stirred plenty of speculation that the Saints could be the team to bring "Johnny Football" back to the NFL. Payton didn’t guarantee the Saints would never sign Manziel, but he said the meeting was hardly a formal interview.

“He’s got a skill set that’s unique — good feet, he can create. I’ve seen him play one game live,” Payton said. “He’s got some work to do, but he’s got arm talent, I don’t think any of those things are a question right now. There are a handful of things he’d have to do. I think part of the report that insinuated that this was moving in that direction, that’s false. Now I’m sitting here answering 15 questions over a reporter’s report.”

Another player the Saints won’t be signing imminently is New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler, who is a restricted free agent. Payton said the Saints will not give Butler an offer sheet, which would potentially force them to give New England the 11th pick of the upcoming draft, but he did not rule out trying to acquire Butler in the future via a trade.

The Saints and Patriots already pulled off one trade this offseason as New Orleans sent receiver Brandin Cooks to New England in exchange for the No. 32 pick.

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Follow Lindsay H. Jones on Twitter @bylindsayhjones

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