LAKE FOREST, Ill., — The Chicago Bears were holding onto some hope that the NFL would award them two third-round compensatory picks for 2026 and 2027 after Ian Cunningham was hired by the Atlanta Falcons as general manager. On Monday, the NFL announced the 33 compensatory picks for 2026 and the Bears were left out of the picture.
The league did not award the Bears the third-round picks and Chicago didn't receive one for free agent moves last offseason either. It's disappointing news for Chicago as they pushed for these picks behind the scenes, as Ryan Poles told us at the scouting combine.
"We have had conversations. Yep," Poles said. "There's a set of rules that has been put in place that I think can be applied to this situation. So we have communicated through the right channels. We'll see what happens going forward."
The NFL and NFLPA agreed to an amendment to the League's Collective Bargaining Agreement to promote equal employment opportunities and an inclusive workforce within NFL clubs. This initiative provides that the prior employer-club of a minority employee who has been hired by another club as its head coach or primary football executive will receive compensation in the form of a special compensatory draft selection in the third round of each of the next two drafts, or in each of the next three drafts if two minority employees from the employer-club are hired for these positions by another club or clubs.
However, with the Falcons naming Matt Ryan as the primary executive for football decisions, the league ruled that the Bears would NOT be receiving those picks. Although it is clear that Ian Cunningham is in charge of football decisions.
For the Bears, it's tough news as the new league year starts and it really makes a mockery of the rule that they put into place for the NFL.
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