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Marc Mariani is a Chicago Bear after the NFL club signed the former Montana Grizzlies standout to help their special teams Tuesday while waiving safety Ahmad Dixon.

ChicagoBears.com first reported the signing. The 4-6 Bears have averaged just 22.8 yards per kickoff and 6.2 yards per punt return this season. Sunday against Minnesota, return man Chris Williams averaged 14 yards on three kickoffs and 5.7 yards on three punts.

The 27-year-old Mariani has career averages of 24.8 yards with one touchdown on 92 kickoff returns and 11.2 yards with two TDs on 73 punt returns. All came with Tennessee, which released him this past preseason. Mariani, who also caught five passes for 24 yards with the 2011 Titans, missed the 2012 season with a broken leg and all of 2013 with a shoulder injury.

He was selected by Tennessee in the seventh round of the 2010 NFL draft, and made the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Mariani left Montana as the Grizzlies' career leader in touchdown receptions with 29. He also had three punt returns for TDs and another via kick return, and owns the program's single-game all-purpose yardage record at 389.

Dixon, a 2014 seventh-round pick out of Baylor, appeared in five games for the Bears this season, recording four special teams tackles and a fumble recovery.

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