Bear Digest

Why Ian Cunningham must be considered strong favorite for Falcons job

Ian Cunningham has been a candidate for several GM positions in the past but will now reportedly interview for the Falcons job and must be considered a strong candidate.
Gene Chamberlain|
Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham is reportedly a candidate for the Falcons GM job.
Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham is reportedly a candidate for the Falcons GM job. | Photo: Chicago Bears video

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Chicago Bears

It's that time of year again.

It's the Ian Cunningham watch season.

The assistant GM under Ryan Poles always gets attention when GM jobs open up and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports he will be interviewed by the Atlanta Falcons for the position vacated when that team fired GM Terry Fontenot.

Last year, Cunningham seemed a strong candidate for the Jacksonville Jaguars job that was given to James Gladstone.

Cunningham last year was also brought in for the vacant Tennessee Titans GM job but Mike Borgonzi was hired for that position.

Washington and Arizona and also interviewed Cunningham in the past and he reportedly turned down the Cardinals job.

This time Cunningham looks like more of a strong candidate based on the Bears' success. In the past, Cunningham's credentials looked strong but what actual proof was there he knew anything about building a winner when the team had losing records every year?

So in a sense, Ben Johnson's influence in Chicago can help turn around his chances.

The Bears receive two compensatory draft picks at the end of the third round if Cunningham gets a position as GM.

Cunningham spoke during a presser last spring about not getting to advance after several tries.

“You devote your time here, you want help this crew, and you also have your own  goals and aspirations," he said. "So you feel a little bit weird.

"But again, thankful for those opportunities, grateful for those opportunities. When it didn’t work out, I’m not going to lie, it hurt. I’m not immune to that. But you’ve gotta pick yourself off the mat, shake the cobwebs off, and start swinging again. That’s where we’re at here.”

He's apparently out there again.

Atlanta would be a good fit with a ton of offensive talent already and a label as underachievers. They're also replacing a head coach and it would give him the chance to help set the tone to be part of Arthur Blank's franchise.

There is a Chicago connection there, as well.

Former Bears GM Ryan Pace is the vice-president of football operations for the Falcons. Pace was fired in Chicago just before Ryan Poles took over as GM and hired Cunningham.

More importantly and the real key, former Falcons QB Matt Ryan reportedly will become the team's president of football operations and he has close connections with Poles as a friend and former college teammate.

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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.