LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- The Chicago Bears increased competition in the return game on Tuesday by signing a couple of kick returners/receivers in Armanti Edwards and Micheal Spurlock.

In corresponding roster moves the club terminated the contract of vested veteran receiver Domenik Hixon with an injury settlement, stemming from the torn ACL he suffered May 27, during the team’s first session of organized team activities. The Bears also waived linebacker Tana Patrick.

Edwards has played in 41 games over four years with Carolina (2010-13) and Cleveland (2013), returning 40 punts for 281 yards and 15 kickoffs for 295 yards.

Spurlock, meanwhile, has played in 67 games with two starts for Arizona (2006), Tampa Bay (2007, ’09-11), San Francisco (2009), San Diego (2012), Jacksonville (2012), Detroit (2013) and Dallas (2013). Spurlock has returned 81 punts for a 9.6-yard average and a pair of touchdowns, and 107 kickoffs for 2,594 yards and three touchdowns.

The Bears became quite familiar with Spurlock last Sept. when with Detroit he returned a 40-yard punt 57 yards in a 40-32 Lions win at Ford Field. Spurlock also returned three kickoffs in that game for 62 yards.