The Chicago Bears lost one of their most important behind-the-scenes architects this offseason when Ian Cunningham departed to become the Atlanta Falcons’ general manager. That stings on its own. What makes it worse is that the Bears have so far been denied the compensatory draft picks they believe they’re owed for losing him.
Under the Rooney Rule, teams that lose personnel to diversity hires at the GM level are entitled to compensatory picks — in this case, two third-round selections for 2026 and 2027. The NFL’s pushback has been that Matt Ryan is technically the Falcons’ head of football operations, making Cunningham ineligible to qualify under the rule.
The problem with that argument, as the Bears see it, is that Ryan himself has said publicly on multiple occasions that Cunningham handles all things roster-related. That’s not a technicality; that’s the job description the rule was designed to protect.
Bears Still Fighting for Compensatory Picks After Losing Ian Cunningham
Screenshot via Atlanta Falcons on YouTubeThe Bears appealed the NFL’s initial decision, and both Ryan Poles and Cunningham made their cases directly, with each voicing the belief that Chicago deserves the compensation. The NFL ultimately said no, but according to Patrick Finley of the Sun-Times, the Bears aren’t done pushing. Chicago is making another run at persuading the league to reconsider, and expects an answer soon.
The #Bears are still trying to persuade the NFL to give them compensatory picks after the #Falcons hired Ian Cunningham. They expect an answer soon.
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) April 1, 2026The timing matters. The 2026 NFL Draft is just weeks away, and a third-round pick this year and next would be a meaningful addition to a Bears draft class that already carries significant weight for a team in the middle of a contention window. Those aren’t consolation prizes. In the right hands, third-round picks turn into contributors, and the Bears have shown, at least in the infancy of the Ben Johnson era, they can develop talent.
Whether the NFL budges remains to be seen. But Chicago is clearly not going down without a fight on this one, and frankly, it’s hard to blame them.
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