Bears GM Ryan Poles hires deputy

New general manager Ryan Poles took his first step toward transforming the Bears’ front office Saturday, agreeing to hire the Eagles’ Ian Cunningham as his assistant general manager.

Cunningham had been with the -Eagles since 2017, first as a college scouting director, then an assistant player personnel director and, as of last year, co-player personnel director.

The position is a departure from the Bears’ structure under Ryan Pace, in which player personnel director Josh Lucas and assistant player personnel director Champ Kelly served as his primary deputies. Before joining the Eagles, Cunningham spent eight years with the Ravens as a player personnel assistant, Southeast area scout and Southeast/Southwest area scout.

Cunningham and Poles haven’t worked together, but they share similarities. Both are former ACC offensive linemen who left college the same year and appeared briefly in NFL camps. Poles, a Boston College grad, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Bears in 2008. Cunningham, who started 31 games at Virginia and earned an undergrad and Master’s degree from the school, had a brief stint with the Chiefs.

Jets GM Joe Douglas, a former Eagles and Bears executive, reportedly tried to bring Cunningham to the Jets in 2019 and 2020.

Cunningham won’t be the Bears’ last major addition. New coach Matt Eberflus continued to interview coaching candidates.

NFL Network reported that Jaguars receivers coach Sanjay Lal interviewed for the offensive coordinator job. Texans quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton also talked to the Bears. Packers quarterbacks coach/pass-game coordinator Luke Getsy is the presumptive favorite.