The NFL Made Their Decision on the Chicago Bears Ian Cunningham Comp Picks

The conversation surrounding the NFL's compensation pick formula, specifically surrounding Ian Cunningham being hired as the Falcons general manager, has been well-documented and highly discussed.

However, the league had yet to make a final decision on the matter. It was first reported that the Bears wouldn't get two third-round picks, which was previously the assumption due to the Rooney Rule, for losing Ian Cunningham. For those that don't know, the Rooney Rule was established in an attempt to get more minorities in front offices (and head coaching positions) across the NFL.

Bears GM Ryan Poles and Ian Cunningham both argued that they thought Chicago would be receiving the two third-round picks at the NFL Scouting Combine. Poles also mentioned that he would be taking the appropriate measures to try to acquire the picks that they should have been awarded.

Ryan Poles gives his opinion on the Rooney Rule:

“I think it’s strange. At the end of the day you should want to develop your staff regardless of the color of their skin… But if that’s the rule they have in place, I think it’s clear in this situation what should happen.” pic.twitter.com/p9Xz7aezkq
— Caleb Williams Fan Club (@CalebFC18) February 24, 2026

One day you would hear reports that they were expected to receive the picks. The next, you'd hear that they weren't expected to. The topic has remained a mystery over the past two months.

It's not a mystery anymore, though. The league announced the compensation picks for the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Bears weren't on the list.

No comp picks for the #Bears for Ian Cunningham to the #Falcons as GM. Cunningham and Chicago felt they should’ve gotten them for a minority hire but the NFL clearly feels Matt Ryan’s presence as president of football over Cunningham nixed that.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 9, 2026

There's really no sugarcoating this situation. It's an absolutely ridiculous decision by the league office.

The Bears aren't receiving the two third-round picks because the Falcons new general manager (who was formerly the Bears assistant general manager) somehow isn't considered their 'head decision maker'. That role somehow belongs to Matt Ryan, the man entering his first season in an NFL front office as the Falcons 'President of Football'.

That's the case, despite Ryan mentioning that Ian Cunningham's role will have total roster control. That's a mighty big responsibility for a 'secondary decision maker'.

But Ian Cunningham has final say on football moves???

Matt Ryan: “Im not doing the scouting. I’m not running the meetings. Our GENERAL MANAGER will do that. The general manager role is going to be exactly the same.”

Arthur Blank reiterates this.pic.twitter.com/1KSYvHEo7L https://t.co/5jCT1JoCVC
— Caleb Williams Fan Club (@CalebFC18) January 30, 2026

To be clear, my frustration is not with the Falcons. I don't think they did this maliciously in any way, and Matt Ryan and Ryan Poles were roommates at Boston College. They are still very good friends, and I don't think Ryan gained an ounce of satisfaction from the Bears not receiving those picks.

The league is very much in the wrong for this situation, though. To not abide by the rule they created makes little sense under any circumstance. However, that's especially the case when the promotion of Cunningham was the exact type of development they were hoping to conjure up through the rule.

The Bears weren't only promoting Cunningham for the color of his skin. He did, however, learn a lot of valuable lessons that he's taking with him to Atlanta, where he will be running his own team alongside Matt Ryan. For the league to create an asterisk and discredit the hiring (while also hyping up the first-time front office executive who is supposedly running the show despite everything he's said) is not only silly, it's downright blasphemous.

The NFL just opened up a can of worms with this decision. Front offices now have the option to create their own hierarchy just to prevent other teams from receiving compensatory picks if they want to be petty (which I imagine many of them will).

The Bears should be on the clock five times through the first 100 picks of the 2026 NFL Draft. They should already have four picks through the first three rounds of next year's draft. Alas, the league chose this situation as the hill they wanted to die on.