Payton: Saints came close to signing Beckham

The New Orleans Saints believe they may have landed Odell Beckham Jr. as a free agent if the Los Angeles Rams hadn't come swooping in.

"We had good conversations," Saints head coach Sean Payton told the "Dan Patrick Show" on Thursday when asked how close his team came to signing the wideout. "He's from here. Only he could answer that, but I felt real positive."

The Saints, Green Bay Packers, or Kansas City Chiefs were rumored to be Beckham's most likely destination, but he ended up signing with the Rams.

"I would say close," added Payton. "The question all along (was), if L.A. had an opportunity I knew that's where he was going to go. I don't think Los Angeles really was an option until maybe middle of the process. I would say fairly close, but only he would be able to answer that."

Payton suggested the Saints' quarterback situation - Trevor Siemian took over as the starter after Jameis Winston suffered a season-ending knee injury - hardly factored into Beckham's thinking.

The Saints reportedly discussed a Beckham trade with the Cleveland Browns before he hit waivers, but cap constraints hampered New Orleans' ability to make a deal.

The NFC South contenders were looking to boost a thin receiving core that won't get Michael Thomas back from an ankle injury before the end of the season.