Cornerback Valentino Blake Leaves Giants

Veteran cornerback Valentino Blake, who signed with the New York Giants as a free agent during the offseason, has left the team. Blake is listed as “exempt/left squad” on the NFL’s transactions page.

Blake, 27, was in his sixth NFL season. The Giants were hoping he would provide depth at corner and be a factor on special teams.

Entering Saturday’s preseason game against the New York Jets the Giants are now perilously thin at cornerback behind Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Michael Hunter, who had emerged as the team’s fourth corner, is in the concussion protocol. That leaves Donte Deayon, DeShaun Amos and Nigel Tribune available as reserves.

Blake’s placement on the exempt list means the Giants do now have an opening on their 90-man roster.

The Giants roster already shuffed considerably on Wednesday as four players were let go and four new ones added. The most surprising of those let go was wide receiver Darius Powe, who was on the practice squad last year and had been having a good camp. He was waived/injured with a hamstring injury.