Extra preseason game halts Steelers-Bills scrimmage

Good morning on Day 3 from the NFL combine in Indianapolis….

The Steelers and Bills decided not to have a practice/scrimmage in training camp because the Steelers get an extra preseason game this year at the Hall of Fame.

The teams were going to practice against each other for two days in Pittsford, N.Y., the Bills’ summer home, and then hopefully play each other in a preseason game in Orchard Park, N.Y.

The Bills did that last year when they came to Latrobe for two days and then played the Steelers in a preseason game at Heinz Field. The Steelers intended to reciprocate – an arrangement agreed upon by Mike Tomlin and Bills Coach Doug Marrone.

But when the league scheduled them to play in the Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio on Aug. 9, that gave the Steelers five preseason games and lessened any need to for a two-day practice/scrimmage against another team. Plus, Marrone is no longer the Bills coach after resigning during the offseason.

It is not known if the two teams will still play a preseason game.

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There is at least one NFL coach who does not have any questions about the character of Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, who could be the No. 1 pick in the draft.

Arizona Cardinals Coach Bruce Arians, the former Steelers offensive coordinator, first met Winston at a football camp in Birmingham, Ala., when Winston was in the ninth grade. He said he is not bothered by the off-field issues that have dogged Winston.

“No, I’ve known him since the ninth grade,” Arians said. “He’s a good kid.”

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Speaking of Arians, consider this:

There have been 477 head coaches in NFL history and he is the only one who has been named coach of the year twice in a three-year span with different teams.

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Former Steelers safety Ryan Clark, who announced his retirement on Wednesday after 13 seasons in the league, said he will have a press conference in Pittsburgh sometime after March 11. He said he was unsure of the date because he wanted to coordinate it when Tomlin is in town.

“He has pro days and all, but Coach T said he wants to be there,” said Clark, who played eight seasons with the Steelers after being signed in 2006.

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Packers Coach Mike McCarthy is giving up the play-calling duties and handing them over to Tom Clements, who was recently promoted to associate head coach. Clements, a two-sport star at Canevin High School, is a former Steelers assistant.

But, contrary to public belief, it is not because of the conservative play-calling at the end of the Packers’ playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks, when they blew a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter.

“I’m a very systematic individual,” said McCarthy, a Greenfield native who played at Bishop Boyle High School. “There are things that, through the preparation process, I’m already thinking about what my call sheet or what actually I’m going to take onto the field.

“As we define all the responsibilities with the changes we’ve

had to our staff, we’ll just continue to do that. The offensive coordinator in the past has called the fourth preseason game, so I have an idea of what that looks like. I’m looking forward to it.”

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Denver Broncos president John Elway went from saying he hopes Peyton Manning returns for another season to “I believe he will be our quarterback next year.”

But the Broncos need to restructure Manning’s contract to create extra salary cap room.

“We’re hopeful that Peyton comes back and we want him back,” Elway said. “He has not given me a definitive answer exactly what he wants to do but we’re hopeful he is going to come back.”

Manning struggled late in the season with a right thigh injury that caused him to skip the Pro Bowl after being selected for the 14th time. Elway was asked if Manning indicated he was feeling better.

“He did,” Elway said. “Obviously, anytime you finish a season, six weeks after the season you are going to feel well. He told me about the physical that he went through with the doctor down in New Orleans and he felt good with the results that came out of that. Physically he was feeling much better.”

Elway, though, said he would not discuss Manning’s contract situation. Manning is scheduled to make $19 million in 2015.

“The bottom line is, I don’t like to get into anybody’s contract or discuss anything about contracts,” Elway said. “But, just know that, as I said, I believe he will be back and I believe that he will be our quarterback next year.”