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In the end, the Atlanta Falcons have their basic supervisor. And after years of close to misses, Ian Cunningham has his GM job.
The Falcons are naming Cunningham as their subsequent basic supervisor, a number of sources inform CBS Sports activities. Cunningham arrives in Atlanta after 4 years because the assistant GM in Chicago, and he combines with new president of soccer Matt Ryan and head coach Kevin Stefanski to make up the brand new soccer braintrust for the crew.
The Falcons supplied Cunningham the job Thursday after weeks of interviews. He first interviewed on Jan. 9 for the president of soccer job that went to Ryan. As soon as Ryan was put in in his put up, Cunningham interviewed nearly for the GM job on Jan. 23. And he once more interviewed in particular person with the Falcons on Thursday morning.
Cunningham was one in all six candidates to interview nearly for the job, and he was joined within the closing spherical by Texans assistant GM James Liipfert, who impressed the Falcons in his first-ever GM interview.
He was a finalist final yr for the Jaguars GM job that went to James Gladstone, in addition to a finalist a yr earlier in Washington that went to Adam Peters. Cunningham turned down a suggestion in 2023 to be the Arizona Cardinals basic supervisor in hopes of touchdown a possibility higher fitted to him.
The son of a longtime sports activities agent and cousin of tennis legend Arthur Ashe, Cunningham performed soccer on the College of Virginia earlier than moving into the NFL. He began with the Ravens as a personnel assistant for GM Ozzie Newsome earlier than ultimately leaving for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017 because the director of scouting. By the point he joined Ryan Poles in Chicago in 2022, he had received two Tremendous Bowls with two totally different franchises.
In Chicago, he took half in a training search that resulted in Ben Johnson, drafted younger star Caleb Williams and helped engineer a commerce of the No. 1 total decide. The Bears received the division this yr for the primary time since 2018 and bought its first playoff victory in 15 years.
The final supervisor function in Atlanta is like most different GM gigs throughout the league with one exception: this job will not be what the league workplace considers the “main soccer govt” place. Cunningham is taken into account a secondary soccer govt who reviews to Ryan, the PFE as designated by the crew and league workplace.
It is because of this construction that the Bears is not going to obtain compensatory picks for shedding Cunningham, a Black man. Starting in 2021, the league started awarding two third-round picks to groups who developed minority expertise that in the end took head coach or GM roles. However a number of sources have confirmed to CBS Sports activities that the Bears is not going to get these picks, and the crew has identified that for some period of time.
In fact, the Bears may have blocked Cunningham from ever interviewing for the job as it will be, below league guidelines, a lateral place. However in actuality it’s a promotion for Cunningham, and the Bears permitting him to hunt out the place speaks to his standing inside the Chicago group.
Cunningham replaces Terry Fontenot on the GM place. Falcons proprietor Arthur Clean fired Fontenot after 5 years within the function. Atlanta has one of many extra proficient rosters within the NFC South however did not win the division throughout Fontenot’s tenure, and the GM could not have discovered the quarterback place regardless of a $180 million contract to Kirk Cousins and a top-10 decide used on Michael Penix Jr.
A few of Cunningham’s quick enterprise shall be to put out a plan totally free company. Huge receiver Drake London is due for a contract extension. Tight finish Kyle Pitts is coming off a profession yr heading into free company. He’ll additionally must determine whether or not to re-sign gamers like LB Kaden Elliss, edge Leonard Floyd, defensive lineman David Onyemata, operating again Tyler Allgeier and cornerback Dee Alford.
Earlier than the Falcons employed Cunningham, the crew adjusted Cousins’s contract to make it simpler to half methods with the quarterback at the beginning of free company. Penix stated this week he’s hopeful to return from his ACL harm in time for Week 1 subsequent season.
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