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Giants Make Geno Smith Signing Official, Also Add CB Valentino Blake

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Geno Smith officially became a Giant on Monday after passing his physical.

The Giants announced the signing Monday afternoon. According to multiple reports, the former Jets quarterback's deal with Big Blue is for one year, $2 million. Smith will compete against Josh Johnson to back up Eli Manning.

Smith said he's excited to learn from Giants quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti Jr., head coach Ben McAdoo and Manning, who he said he considers a "Hall of Fame quarterback."

"I think it will work out tremendously for me," Smith said in a news release issued by the Giants. "And it's also an opportunity to be on a real good team, a winning team, get healthy – it's just a perfect scenario for me. I couldn't have written it up any better myself."

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Smith and the Giants reportedly reached an agreement Friday pending the physical over the weekend. Big Blue was doing their due diligence after Smith tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in an Oct. 23 game against the Baltimore Ravens.

"Geno has a great, positive attitude, and he's looking forward to learning and competing in our QB room," Giants general manager Jerry Reese said.

Smith, 26, who was selected by the Jets in the second round of the 2013 draft out of West Virginia, became a free agent March 9.

The veteran quarterback started for the Jets as a rookie, but turnovers and general enigmatic play limited him to just 30 starts over his first four seasons. Smith replaced Ryan Fitzpatrick as the starter in Week 7 of 2016, but then suffered the season-ending knee injury in that game.

Smith finished his tenure with the Jets with a 12-18 record as a starter. Overall, he threw for 5,962 yards with 28 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. Last season, he completed 8 of 14 passes for 126 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

The Jets also announced Monday they have signed cornerback and special teamer Valentino Blake.

Blake, 26, has spent five seasons in the NFL, playing for the Jaguars, Steelers and Titans. He started 16 games for Pittsburgh in 2015, intercepting two passes, but was relegated to a backup role with the Titans last year.

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