Jacksonville Jaguars interview Chicago Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham for their GM job

The Jacksonville Jaguars interviewed Chicago Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham for their vacant GM position on Friday. This was reportedly Cunningham’s second interview with the Jaguars.

Cunningham has been Bears GM Ryan Poles' right-hand man since 2022. Cunningham was the first front office hire that Poles made after coming to Chicago.

Cunningham has been a popular candidate in recent GM hiring cycles. He reportedly was a finalist for the Tennessee Titans job in January, but the Titans decided to hire former Kansas City Chiefs assistant GM Mike Borgonzi instead.

A year ago, Cunningham was reportedly a finalist for the Washington Commanders GM job too.

Cunningham has been instrumental in scouting NFL draft talent and acquiring players in free agency. Like Poles, he’s a former college offensive lineman who pursued a career in scouting after his playing days were over. Prior to coming to Chicago in 2022, Cunningham worked for the Baltimore Ravens and the Philadelphia Eagles, winning a Super Bowl with both franchises.

Poles has been preparing to lose Cunningham eventually.

“[He’s] not a yes man,” Poles said of Cunningham last year. “[He] keeps me in line when I start getting off track, to keep our staff together when I get pulled in different directions.”

[He’s] not a yes man. [He] keeps me in line when I start getting off track, to keep our staff together when I get pulled in different directions.”

—  Ryan Poles, Bears general manager

The Jaguars situation is unique. Jacksonville originally decided to keep general manager Trent Baalke and fire head coach Doug Pederson following Week 18. Baalke, who the Jaguars promoted to GM in 2021, was set to work with his third head coach in Jacksonville.

But Jacksonville owner Shad Khan changed course a few weeks later. On Jan. 21, the Bears hired Ben Johnson, who had interviewed in Jacksonville too. On Jan. 22, top head coaching candidate Liam Coen decided he was going to stay in Tampa Bay as the offensive coordinator. Just hours later, Khan fired Baalke. The following day, news broke that the Jaguars hired Coen as head coach.

For the last several weeks, Coen and Khan have been conducting a search for the team’s new GM. Typically, teams would select a new GM first, then let the GM select the coach. It’s not usually the other way around.

The Bears could benefit if a team hires Cunningham. Since 2021, the NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks to teams if a minority head coach or GM is hired from within their organization.

So if Cunningham, who is Black, is hired by another team, the Bears would receive extra third-round selections in the 2025 and 2026 drafts because Cunningham is a minority candidate.