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Eagles reserve DE Matt Leo retires, and the team is bringing back WR Deon Cain

On the day the Eagles reported to training camp, the team did some tinkering with the roster.

Eagles wide receiver Deon Cain loses the football after committing an offensive pass interference penalty against Miami Dolphins cornerback Elijah Hamilton in the third quarter during a preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, August 27, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Eagles wide receiver Deon Cain loses the football after committing an offensive pass interference penalty against Miami Dolphins cornerback Elijah Hamilton in the third quarter during a preseason game at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, August 27, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer
    by EJ Smith
    Published 

The Eagles made a few roster moves on the eve of the first training camp practice.

The team announced the signing of veteran offensive lineman Dennis Kelly, a deal the two sides agreed to last week, and the retirement of reserve defensive end Matt Leo. The Eagles also are signing wide receiver Deon Cain to the expanded training-camp roster, according to Houston radio reporter Aaron Wilson.

Eagles players reported for training camp Tuesday, but won’t hit the practice field until Wednesday morning around 10 a.m.

Kelly, 33, was drafted by the Eagles in 2012 and played three seasons with the team before getting traded to Tennessee. He figures to be a backup swing tackle behind Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, filling a role vacated by Andre Dillard in free agency a few months ago. He logged 16 games for the Titans last year, mostly as a special-teamer, but saw action at tackle in four of them.

Leo’s retirement just before training camp comes as a bit of a surprise. The 31-year-old joined the Eagles in 2020 as a part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program, which grants teams an extra roster spot for an international player. Leo, an Australian native, played college football at Iowa State and spent most of the last three seasons on the practice squad.

Leo may stay in the organization in a different capacity, though. According to sources confirming an NBC Sports report, Leo is considering a role within the Eagles’ coaching staff.

Similar to Kelly, Cain has a history with the Eagles. The former Clemson wide receiver spent time over the past two seasons on the Eagles’ practice squad before joining the USFL in the offseason. The 26-year-old was named MVP of the league championship game after logging seven catches for 70 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-12 Birmingham Stallions win.