The Philadelphia Eagles have confirmed they have re-signed MLB Jeremiah Trotter to a one-year deal, and cleared space for him on the active roster by cutting veteran QB Jeff Garcia.

The Eagles had been in contact with Trotter long before the signing, with coach Andy Reid maintaining a close relationship with him, according to league sources.

Trotter, despite his time away from the game, stayed in great shape and is well versed in the Eagles defense. He will provide a strong leadership presence for a squad that lost long-time coordinator Jim Johnson to cancer, safety Brian Dawkins to free agency and MLB Stewart Bradley to a knee injury.

The Eagles made the move primarily for on-field reasons, according to a source, and expect Trotter to contribute in certain situations — specifically on first down, in the red zone and in goal-line / short-yardage scenarios, where his run-stopping skills shine.

– Jason La Canfora and Steve Wyche contributed to this report.