Obama for what he did for her and

METAIRIE, La. -- The New Orleans Saints kicker carousel is still going strong.The Saints have moved on to their 11th kicker in 11 years under coach Sean Payton after signing undrafted rookie Wil Lutz on Tuesday -- as announced on social media by both Lutz and his agent, John Perla.The plan is for Lutz to replace veteran Kai Forbath, who was released by the Saints on Tuesday.The Saints also released veteran cornerback Cortland Finnegan, who joined the team midway through training camp. To replace him, the Saints signed veteran cornerback Sterling Moore, according to his agent, Andy Simms.Moore started nine games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year and previously played for the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. He spent this summer with the Buffalo Bills before being released. He replaces Finnegan as the most experienced veteran by far among a young group of cornerbacks.Lutz spent the summer with the Baltimore Ravens after serving as both a kicker and punter at Georgia State.Lutz made 2 of 3 field goal attempts during the preseason with the Ravens (the miss coming from 53 yards). He made just 31 of 46 field goal attempts in college, though eight of those misses came from beyond 48 yards. He was 23-of-27 from inside the 40-yard line and finished as Georgia States all-time leader in field goals, PATs (120), points (213) and games played (47).Lutz originally agreed to join the Saints practice squad Monday after a tryout. But then the Saints reversed course and decided to sign him to their active 53-man roster instead.?The Saints have tried a little bit of everything at kicker during the Payton era. This year, they had three veterans on the roster -- Forbath, Connor Barth and Josh Scobee (who was released before OTAs began).Last year, the Saints tried two unproven young kickers throughout the summer -- Zach Hocker and Dustin Hopkins. They wound up keeping Hocker, only to replace him with Forbath weeks later. Hopkins, meanwhile, went on to thrive with the Washington Redskins.Since 2006, New Orleans has now burned through John Carney (three times), Billy Cundiff, Olindo Mare, Martin Gramatica, Taylor Mehlhaff, Garrett Hartley (also on-again, off-again), John Kasay, Shayne Graham, Hocker and Forbath.Kevin Greene Womens Jersey . -- The Magic have their first victory of the new year. Jack Ham Womens Jersey .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. http://www.steelerspronfl.com/Youth-T-J-Watt-Elite-Jersey/ . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2. Mike Wagner Youth Jersey . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. Jack Ham Jersey . Vokoun departed practice on Saturday morning after discovering swelling in his thigh. He was taken to a local hospital where the clot was revealed. The club announced the surgery following a 5-3 exhibition loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- Demaryius Thomas used the Denver Broncos celebratory White House visit in June to deliver a handwritten note to President Barack Obama thanking him for commuting Thomas mothers drug sentence last year and then asked him to do the same for his grandmother.The Broncos wide receiver is ready to pen another thank you note after he was told the president fulfilled his wish. Minnie Pearl Thomas was among 214 federal inmates whose sentences were cut short Wednesday by Obama.Im kind of jacked up right now. I dont really know what to say, Thomas said after the Broncos morning workout. I kind of just want to talk to my granny. I havent talked to her in a couple of weeks. Im excited for her.Thomas grandmother, who was serving life for a drug offense, is to be released on Dec. 1.Last year, Obama commuted the sentence of Thomas mother, Katina Smith, as part of his push to reduce the prison population of non-violent drug offenders. She was in attendance when the Broncos defeated Carolina 24-10 in Super Bowl 50, and she was on Thomas mind when Obama hosted the champions in June.After briefly talking with the president, Thomas had a sense his grandmother had a chance to have her sentence shortened.I still remember when we were at the White House, I was talking about my mom and I was saying thank you, Thomas said. The fact that he mentioned my grandmother, I knew something was going to happen.Smith was convicted on drug trafficking charges for her role in a crack cocaine ring she and her mother operated out of their Georgia home.ddddddddddddMinnie Pearl Thomas, 60, and Smith shared a cell in a federal prison in Florida before Smiths sentence was commuted last summer. Smith spent time in a halfway house before being released in November.She was sad when my moms left, Thomas said of his grandmother. She used to cry when she was in there by herself. Im excited for her and I want to thank Obama for what he did for her and everyone else.Patrick Smyth, the Broncos vice president of public relations, gave Thomas the news after he finished lifting weights.It was a shock. I had to go to my phone and make sure it was true, he said. He showed me the text messages, `Minnie Pearl Thomas, Demaryius Thomas grandmother, got commuted.Thomas said he believes his grandmother will spend time in a halfway house before going back to Georgia on Dec. 1.Game notesCoach Gary Kubiak said G Max Garcia didnt practice after rolling his ankle in Mondays walkthrough. Kubiak said Garcia may practice Thursday. ... WR Marlon Brown was having his back evaluated and didnt practice. Brown dealt with back issues while with Baltimore last year and Kubiak said the team wants to find out why his back continues to flare up on him.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '