One team remains without a general manager this off-season. The Jacksonville Jaguars fired Trent Baalke two weeks after most teams would've. However, the desire to land their head coach of choice made it a necessary move. From there, buzz quickly picked up that Chicago Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham was considered the favorite for that jump since he shares agents with Lian Coen. Even so, the Jaguars have met with multiple candidates, trying to find who stands out.
According to national insiders, the first round of interviews is complete. Five finalists remain, and Cunningham is among them. However, Yard Line Yoda, regarded as one of the better Jacksonville insiders on social media, went a step further. They have it on good authority that Cunningham is nearing a deal with the organization, having gotten the answers he was hoping for about who has the final say over the roster.
Ian Cunningham leaving the Bears will be tough.
He's been widely considered the voice of reason inside Halas Hall, ensuring that GM Ryan Poles' greater impulses are curbed. Chicago will have to find somebody else who can take on that role. The widespread belief is senior director of player personnel Jeff King will step into the spot Ian Cunningham has occupied for years. The Bears have groomed the former tight end for this opportunity since he arrived as a scouting assistant in 2015. In addition, Cunningham's exit will provide the organization with two 3rd round compensatory picks since he is a minority candidate. One will be in 2025 and the other in 2026. That means the Bears will have nine picks in this draft, including five in the first three rounds.
If Poles handles things the right way, he could secure some really good players for what is a vital season. It is another reminder of how well he has managed his resources despite some setbacks.
