Bear Digest

No extra Bears picks as Titans name Mike Borgonzi new GM

The Bears will not receive two third-round compensatory draft picks as Ian Cunningham's bid for the Titans GM position failed.
Gene Chamberlain|
It looks like Ian Cunningham (left) will be around a while longer as Bears assistant GM after the Titans hired Mike Borgonzi.
It looks like Ian Cunningham (left) will be around a while longer as Bears assistant GM after the Titans hired Mike Borgonzi. | Photo: Chicago Bears Video

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Chicago Bears

There will be no bonus third-round draft picks for the Bears, at least for now.

Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham lost his second bid to win the Tennessee Titans general manager job as the team announced Kansas City Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi had been given the position. Borgonzi is the brother of Bears linebackers coach Dave Borgonzi.

Cunningham had been one of six candidates who had been included for a second interview. He had also tried for this job in 2023 before Ran Carthon was named Titans GM. The Titans fired Carthon after two seasons.

If Cunningham had been named the new Titans GM, the Bears would have received two third-round compensatory draft picks at the end of the regular compensatory picks awarded for that round. They would have received one pick and then another pick in the next draft as a result of changes made to existing rules that rewarded teams who lose a minority member in the front office or in coordinator positions.

Cunningham has been with the Bears as assistant GM to GM Ryan Poles since 2022, after he worked in personnel for the Ravens from 2008-16 and Eagles from 2017-21.

The other candidates given second interviews were Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds, Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray, Buccaneers assistant GM John Spytek, Packers VP of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan and Buffalo Bills director of player personnel Terrance Gray.

Cunningham has had interviews for GM jobs after each of his three Bears seasons. He reportedly turned down the Cardinals GM job.

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.