The Chicago Bears wouldn’t be where they are right now without Ian Cunningham. His presence as assistant general manager has played a pivotal role in assembling a roster that just won the NFC North and its first playoff game in 15 years. Cunningham’s name has long been highly respected in NFL circles, meaning it was only a matter of time before he got his own GM job. However, the Bears have been fortunate up to this point that he has stayed put despite some near misses.
It appears that the streak of good fortune might finally be coming to an end. Reports surfaced on Tuesday that Cunningham is having a second interview with the Atlanta Falcons for their GM position. He will join Houston Texans assistant GM James Liipfert, making them the only two men known to have received second meetings. That means Cunningham is a favorite to get the job. Unfortunately, if he gets it, not only do the Bears lose a key part of their front office, but they aren’t likely to receive two compensatory draft picks as a result.
Don’t expect the Bears to block this Ian Cunningham move.
A lot of people are calling for that since it’s now technically allowed because the NFL rule dictates it would be a later move. That is because Matt Ryan is considered Atlanta’s top football voice in the organization, even if he says he will have no say in personnel decisions. The Bears should block the move and wait for a team to hire Cunningham, who could provide them with those two picks. However, GM Ryan Poles has made it clear for years that he will not stand in the way of his guys receiving promotions.
It stinks for the Bears’ draft hopes, but it is the classy thing to do.
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Presuming Ian Cunningham leaves, the succession plan seems pretty clear. Senior director of player personnel Jeff King is the heavy favorite to take over the assistant GM role. The question is whether the Bears decide to fill the front-office vacancy with someone from the outside. Perhaps head coach Ben Johnson would like to insert somebody he’s familiar with into the room. A couple of names to watch there could be former Dolphins GM Chris Grier, who is currently available, or Jimmy Raye III, a senior personnel advisor in Cleveland who worked with Johnson in Detroit. Something to keep in mind.
