Sean Payton: Manziel visit was just a meet-and-greet

No, Sean Payton is not trying to recruit Johnny Manziel to replace Drew Brees.

He just wanted to meet the man.

The New Orleans Saints head coach had his first chance to respond to a report that he was interested in Manziel on Tuesday, telling reporters the meeting was a "much different phase" than visits with prospective free agents or draft prospects.

"That is a little different (situation)," Payton said, according to ESPN's Mike Triplett at the the NFL meetings in Arizona. "I wasn't involved in the draft process in 2012, the year (Manziel) came out. And so I met him and had breakfast at the Super Bowl. I was curious, really, to get to know him some. He's got a number of things that he's working to do to make himself available."

Payton missed the draft process in 2012 while serving his suspension from Bountygate.

He clarified that his meeting with Manziel was just a chance to get to know the quarterback as he attempts his comeback, not like the restricted free agent visit the Saints had with Malcolm Butler.

"I certainly would say that for us it was just a chance for me to visit with him," said Payton. "And that would be in a much different phase than Malcolm Butler or some of the things we're discussing as we approach the draft.

"It was the first time I met him, and look, we spent some time just kind of going through his story."