The Chicago Bears continue pressing for answers after not getting compensatory draft picks for losing Ian Cunningham.
Atlanta Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Chicago Bears refuse to surrender in the losing battle when it comes to getting compensatory draft picks for losing assistant general manager Ian Cunningham.
On March 9, the NFL announced all of the compensatory selections for the 2026 NFL Draft and officially did not reward the Bears with a third-round pick, slamming the door door on the debate.
However, the Bears are not going to waive the white flag as the team is starting more commotion at the NFL Owner’s Meeting with less than a month until the draft.
Chicago Bears team president Kevin Warren is still pushing the NFL for compensatory draft picks
After hearing from head coach Ben Johnson and general manager Ryan Poles earlier in the week at the NFL Annual Meeting, Bears owner George McCaskey and team president Kevin Warren spoke with the media on Wednesday.
One of the topics covered involved the compensatory draft pick situation, and Warren confirmed the Bears are still trying to persuade the NFL to give them compensatory picks and added the team expects a firm answer soon.
The #Bears are still trying to persuade the NFL to give them compensatory picks after the #Falcons hired Ian Cunningham. They expect an answer soon.
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) April 1, 2026
Again, at this point, it’s a losing battle. But, credit to the Bears for continuing to fight this. After the first week of free agency, Poles dodged a question about the compensatory picks being announced and said those talks would be saved for this week.
At the NFL Combine back in February, however, Poles had a pretty strong take on the matter.
“I mean I’ll be honest, I think it is a little strange,” Poles explained. “At the end of the day, you should want to develop your staff regardless of the color of their skin. I think that is important. I think we take a lot of pride with the Bears in our setup and I take a lot of pride in that. So to be compensated for that is a little strange. I saw the Chiefs get a pick because of me and then I watched that player go and play. It’s just a little odd. But, if at the end of the day, they think that’s what is best to help incentivize, then that’s what they want to do.”
Prior to Poles’ statement at the NFL Combine, Cunningham advocated his support for his former team and believed they should receive the picks in honor of the rule put in place.
“I’m the general manager, I was hired, I would think they would get two third-round picks,” Cunningham said at the NFL Combine. “I don’t know the wording of it, that’s just my perspective. Again, I wouldn’t be sitting here if it weren’t for them giving me that job and helping me grow to get this job right now.”
It’s insane that this continues to be an on-going situation, but again, I don’t fault the Bears for fighting this as long as possible. Time is ticking for the league to make the correct decision and it’s not too late to admit their mistakes.
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