NEWSLETTER
It appears as if Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Poles is catching a break.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter has details on Joe Hortiz’s pending hiring as the general manager Jim Harbaugh will be working with while coaching the Los Angeles Chargers:
Hey, wait a minute! This isn’t Bears Assistant General Manager Ian Cunningham. And it certainly isn’t Co-Director of Player Personnel Jeff King. I guess the Bears brass is sticking together for 2024. What a pleasant surprise that would turn out to be.
Cunningham was one of the Chargers’ first interviews when they began talking to potential general manager candidates. King’s interview with the team followed shortly after Cunningham’s interview. And there was a moment in which I thought the Bears could lose two top front office members in one fell swoop. The scenario that played out in my head involved Cunningham taking the Chargers’ GM job and bringing King along to be his right-hand man. The idea of Ryan Poles going into this offseason needing to find two top front-office partners made me itchy. But it doesn’t look like he’ll be losing either of his top guys (for now).
It looks like Ryan Poles and the Bears caught a break
This is big. It might not seem like it, but we shouldn’t overlook the importance of the Bears front office staying intact. Yes, not getting future draft picks for another team taking Cunningham is a small blow. But on the flip side, keeping Cunningham (and King) ahead of pre-draft prospect showcases like the Shrine Game and Senior Bowl is a break. And let’s not forget that the NFL Scouting Combine is coming in February with free agency to follow in March. With all this heavy lifting ahead, the Bears can go into all-hands-on-deck mode with all hands on deck. And without needing to fill in two key front office roles. Whew.
This might be weird to read (especially since I’ll admit it was weird to type) but I hope there comes a day when Ian Cunningham and Jeff King get snagged by other teams to run their front offices. Because if that happens, it will be a sign that the Bears are in a good spot. Teams don’t poach front office execs from franchises that aren’t successful.
The arrow seems to be pointing up for Cunningham and King, just as it appears to be pointing up for the Bears. Another offseason with growth followed by another year of increasing the team’s win total will put Cunningham and King back on the interview circuit in 2025. And if they leave, I hope the Bears will be ready with potential replacement options lined up. If that’s how the cookie crumbles, it’ll probably mean that Chicago’s football team had a good year in 2024.
