The Chicago Bears have taken some offseason hits - not on the field, but in the front office. Two key departures stand out: tight ends coach Declan Doyle is now the offensive coordinator in Baltimore, and assistant GM Ian Cunningham has landed a major promotion, taking over as general manager of the Atlanta Falcons.
Cunningham’s move should have been a win-win for both him and the Bears. Under the NFL’s compensatory pick policy, teams that lose minority candidates to head coach or general manager roles are awarded draft picks - a nod to the league’s push for more inclusive hiring practices. But here’s the wrinkle: the Bears currently aren’t in line to receive that compensation.
Why? Because technically, Cunningham is reporting to Falcons president Matt Ryan - yes, that Matt Ryan - and the NFL’s current interpretation appears to be that Cunningham isn’t the top football decision-maker in Atlanta. Without that designation, the Bears don’t qualify for the picks.
But then came Ryan’s comments on CBS this week, and they’ve thrown a wrench into that narrative.
“He’s in charge of that space,” Ryan said of Cunningham. “He is driving this boat, and he’s the one leading us moving forward. This is Ian’s regular season right now, and he is in it; he is driving the ship right now.”
That’s not vague. That’s a direct endorsement of Cunningham’s control over the Falcons’ offseason - including the NFL Draft and free agency.
And if that’s the case, it meets the standard for compensatory picks. The NFL’s own guidelines say that if a minority candidate departs for a GM job where they control the roster and draft, the former team should be rewarded.
So far, though, the league hasn’t budged. The Bears are still empty-handed, and fans in Chicago aren’t taking it lightly.
Social media lit up after Ryan’s comments surfaced. One fan posted, “GIVE US OUR PICKS COWARDS,” while another added, “THEN GIVE US PICKS NFL.” Others chimed in with variations of the same message - if Cunningham is making the big calls in Atlanta, the Bears should be compensated.
And honestly, they’ve got a point.
This isn’t about bending the rules in Chicago’s favor - it’s about following the spirit of the policy. The NFL created this system to reward teams for developing diverse talent and promoting upward mobility within the league. If Cunningham is truly the one steering the Falcons’ football operations, then the Bears did exactly what the league wants: groomed a talented executive who earned a top job.
Now, it’s on the NFL to follow through.
There’s still time for this to get sorted out. The league could reevaluate based on Ryan’s public comments and updated information about the Falcons’ organizational structure. But as it stands, the Bears are watching a valuable asset walk out the door without the compensation they were led to expect.
This story isn’t over. And for a Bears team trying to rebuild - not just on the field but throughout the organization - every draft pick matters. If the NFL is serious about incentivizing inclusive hiring, this is a moment to prove it.