It seemingly came out of nowhere. After failing to land the Tennessee Titans GM job this off-season, Ian Cunningham seemed ready to return for another year as Chicago Bears assistant GM. However, things took a turn when the Jacksonville Jaguars concluded a wild sequence of events to land Liam Coen as their new head coach. Almost immediately, rumors began to surface that Cunningham was not only a top candidate for the GM position but likely the heavy favorite.
That seemed unusual at first. Cunningham had zero ties to the Jaguars organization, while he and Coen had never worked together. At last, clarity surfaced when it was revealed that the two men share the same agent, Jacques McClendon of WME Sports. Pairing clients together in organizations is a common tactic among agents. Trace Armstrong did it with Ryan Poles and Matt Eberflus in 2022. Albert Breer summed it up during his MMQB mailbag.
Joe, I do think he has real interest in the job, and would be a good hire.
Definitely a top name in Jacksonville
Ian Cunningham may think this is his best opportunity.
Jacksonville has been plagued by issues for years. However, their setup isn't terrible. Trevor Lawrence is a good quarterback, and Coen should be able to help maximize him. The roster isn't totally devoid of talent, either. Ownership, while not known for its competence, is at least patient and stays out of the way. Lastly, the AFC South isn't the strongest division in the league. That would give Ian Cunningham a solid window to make his team competitive right away. There are only so many opportunities you'll get to become a GM. After missing out on the Titans job, Cunningham may feel this is the last one he has for a while. If he gets it, the Bears must find a new assistant GM while determining what to do with the two 3rd round compensatory picks they'll receive. Expectations are that a decision will be made before the scouting combine.
