There's been plenty of controversy surrounding the NFL's impending decision not to award the Chicago Bears compensatory picks after former assistant general manager Ian Cunningham was hired by the Atlanta Falcons to serve as GM.
While the NFL hasn't made an official decision yet, the belief among NFL insiders is that Chicago will not receive two third-round comp picks for losing Cunningham as Atlanta designates Matt Ryan as the primary football executive. This after Ryan made it clear that Cunningham will be making the primary decisions for the roster.
On Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine, Cunningham shared his thoughts about the situation. He was confused about why the Bears aren't receiving compensatory for his hiring, and he said they deserve those two third-round picks.
#Falcons GM Ian Cunningham expresses confusion on why the #Bears didn’t receive draft compensation for his hiring in Atlanta. Made it clear he wouldn’t have gotten the job without his time in Chicago. Said he doesn’t know the exact wording of the rule, but “I would think they…
— Adam Hoge (@AdamHoge) February 24, 2026
Cunningham, who served as Chicago's first assistant GM in franchise history for the last four years, expressed his gratitude to the Bears for putting him in a position to serve as Falcons GM.
Shortly after Cunningham's presser, Bears general manager Ryan Poles met with the media and explained that the team has had conversations with the NFL about deserving those two third-round compensatory picks. Now, it's up to the NFL to make the final decision.
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This article originally appeared on Bears Wire: Falcons GM Ian Cunningham says Bears deserve compensatory picks