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Why Bears won’t receive compensatory draft picks after losing Ian Cunningham
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- Why Bears won’t receive compensatory draft picks after losing Ian Cunningham
Why Bears won't receive compensatory draft picks after losing Ian Cunningham appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The Chicago Bears won a playoff game for the first time in 15 years this season. However, Ben Johnson 's debut with Chicago ended when the Los Angeles Rams outlasted the Bears in the divisional round. Still, with Johnson at the helm and quarterback Caleb Williams developing into one of the league's top passers, the arrow is pointing up for Chicago.
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Of course, the team's success in 2025 created opportunities for Bears staffers. And on Thursday, Chicago lost front office executive Ian Cunningham to an NFC rival. The Atlanta Falcons hired Cunningham as their new GM. He had been with the Bears for four seasons, joining the team alongside Ryan Poles in 2022.
While Cunningham is being promoted from assistant GM in Chicago to general manager in Atlanta, Chicago will not be compensated for his loss. "The Bears will not receive two third-round compensatory picks for Ian Cunningham leaving, because Matt Ryan is considered the lead football executive in Atlanta," according to The 33rd Team's Ari Meirov.
Bears hope to build on Ben Johnson's successful debut
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
In addition to awarding draft picks to teams that lose free agents and aren't able to replace them in quantity or quality, compensatory picks are also awarded when a minority staffer is hired by another team as a head coach or top executive. The league began this policy following an amendment to the collective bargaining agreement in 2020 aimed at promoting equal opportunity.
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Cunningham became the second black GM in Falcons history, after his predecessor Terry Fontenot. And his move from assistant GM to general manager would normally trigger two compensatory picks for the Bears. However, the GM is no longer the top football executive in Atlanta.
After the Falcons fired Raheem Morris and Fontenot at the end of the regular season, owner Arthur Blank created a new position within the organization, president of football. The Falcons tabbed Matt Ryan for the role. And under Atlanta's new structure, the head coach and GM report to Ryan, making him the primary executive. Therefore, Chicago will not be awarded compensatory picks for Cunningham's departure.
The Bears currently have seven picks in the 2026 NFL draft. The team holds its original pick in Rounds 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. Additionally, Chicago acquired a fourth-round selection from the Rams and a seventh-rounder from the Browns.
Related: Bears' 7-round 2026 NFL Draft according to PFF mock draft simulator
Related: 3 players Bears must re-sign this offseason after flaming out of playoffs
