Windy City Gridiron
Early Tuesday morning, Tom Pelissero broke the news that the Atlanta Falcons have requested an interview with Chicago’s assistant general manager Ian Cunningham.
Cunningham has been linked to multiple GM openings in the past, but it’s hard to imagine a better fit than the opening in Atlanta. The Falcons face an uphill battle to dig their way out of a situation with negative cap space, an uncertain situation with a highly-drafted passer who might or might not be the answer at quarterback, and no first-round pick with which to bolster the team. If that sounds familiar to Bears fans, it’s because the similarities between Chicago in 2022 and Atlanta in 2026 are many. As if that’s not enough, the Falcons are anticipated to have the GM role report to Matt Ryan, who will act as team president. Ryan is a former Boston College teammate of Chicago general manager Ryan Poles.
Should Cunningham land the job, the Bears would obviously need to reorganize their own structure, as well. Of course, there’s another reason for Chicago fans to be invested in the process. If Cunningham were to be hired by another team for a GM position in this cycle, the Bears would receive two third-round compensatory draft selections—one in 2026 and the other in 2027.
