Report: Ryan Poles hires Ian Cunningham as assistant GM originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
New Bears general manager Ryan Poles has apparently found his right-hand man. According to Ian Rapoport, Poles has brought in a new assistant GM to help him lead the front office at Halas Hall.
Before reportedly taking this assistant GM job, Cunningham worked as the Eagles director of player personnel. In that role, Cunningham oversaw “the college scouting department while also doing crossover work on the pro scouting side in collaboration with co-director of player personnel Brandon Brown,” per the Eagles.
Cunningham comes from a scouting background. He joined the Ravens front office as a player personnel assistant in 2008. Cunningham was promoted to an area scout in 2013. Two years later the team added a second area to his purview.
In 2017, Cunningham left Baltimore for Philadelphia to take their director of college scouting job. In 2019 he was promoted to assistant director of player personnel. The Eagles made Cunningham their director of player personnel in 2021.
Cunningham is also a former offensive lineman, like Poles. Cunningham started 31 games for the Virginia Cavaliers. He signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2008, but didn’t make the final roster, prompting him to join the Ravens front office.
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