INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (The Score) — The Bears have appealed to the NFL to potentially acquire draft compensation under the Rooney Rule related to former assistant general manager Ian Cunningham's departure from Chicago to become the Atlanta Falcons' new general manager.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles revealed that while speaking at the NFL Combine on Tuesday and as the organization continues to seek clarity after the initial reporting was that Chicago wouldn't receive compensation. As part of the Rooney Rule, teams receive two compensatory third-round picks when a minority executive or coach leaves to become a general manager or head coach elsewhere.
The confusion regarding draft pick compensation for the Bears is that the Falcons hired Matt Ryan as their president of football in a role above Cunningham, who was hired in late January. The NFL views Ryan as the top football decision-maker in Atlanta, but Ryan has publicly stated that Cunningham will have the final say in roster and personnel decisions.
“I’m really proud that Ian this opportunity to be a general manager,” Poles said Tuesday at the NFL Combine. “It’s something we’ve talked about for a long time, before we were even employed by the Bears. It was our vision to climb through the ranks, to get a seat, the GM seat and then help the other one get to their position as well. So, I’m really happy for him. How we do that and why we do that has nothing to do with compensation whatsoever. I want to make that very clear. But there’s a set of rules that has been put in place that I think can be applied to this situation.
“I’ll be honest, I think it is a little strange. 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 not 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.
“That’s not the purpose of why we develop our staff. But if that is the rule they have in place, I think it’s very clear in the situation what should happen. We’ll see what they think.”
For his part, Cunningham believes the Bears should be given draft compensation for his departure.
“It was always my interpretation that if a general manager gets hired, that team would receive two third-round picks,” Cunningham. “I’m the general manager, I was hired, I would think they would get two third-round picks.”
The NFL will announce its full compensatory picks in March in conjunction with the start of the new league year.
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for TheScoreChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.