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The Chicago Bears are parting with veteran guard Josh Sitton and linebacker Jerrell Freeman.

Two people familiar with the situation said Tuesday the Bears have decided to decline their option on Sitton for next season and release Freeman. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team has not announced the moves.

A four-time Pro Bowl lineman Jordan Staal Jersey , the 31-year-old Sitton spent the past two seasons in Chicago after an eight-year run with Green Bay. He signed with the Bears after the Packers released him just before the 2016 season. Sitton dealt with rib and ankle injuries last season and missed three games.

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The 31-year-old Freeman suffered a season-ending pectoral injury in the opener last year and was suspended for violating the league’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs in each of his two seasons with the Bears. The second violation resulted in a 10-game suspension in late October.

Freeman said on Twitter at the time that he also suffered a potentially career-ending concussion in the opener, providing context to the drug violation. He said he downplayed the severity of his head injury to family and friends.

Freeman led Chicago with 110 tackles in 2016 despite serving a four-game suspension for his first violation. He played for Indianapolis from 2012-15.

The Bears went 5-11 last season and finished last in the NFC North for the fourth straight year. Chicago fired coach John Fox and replaced him with Matt Nagy.

NFL Network first reported the Bears are declining Sitton’s option, while Pro Football Talk was first with the news on Freeman.

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The Washington Nationals have activated right-hander Jeremy Hellickson from the 10-day disabled list and will start him against Philadelphia.

The Nationals made the move before playing at Citizens Bank Park on Saturday. Reliever Sammy Solis was sent to Triple-A Syracuse.

Hellickson is 2-0 with a 2.28 ERA in nine starts this season. The veteran right-hander has been sidelined since June 4 with a right hamstring strain. He was 6-5 for Philadelphia last year.

Solis is 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 40 games this season. In 28 innings, the left-hander has allowed 22 hits with 30 strikeouts and 15 walks.

Also Justin Faulk Jersey , Washington transferred third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who has been out since May 10 with a strained right oblique, to the 60-day DL.

The Nationals reinstated catcher Raudy Read from the restricted list and optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse. Read, who appeared in eight games last season Justin Williams Jersey , is coming off an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance.