Did Falcons' Matt Ryan make the case for the Bears to get draft compensation?
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What is the case for the Bears to receive draft compensation?
Rahimi Harrison-Grody. Midday's Tindall 2. On Chicago Sports Radio, 104.3 The Score.
This is Rahimi Harrison-Grody on 104.3 The Score, and we are fighting for the right to draft picks. Because what the heck is going on here? I've gotten messages about this, appropriately. I've gotten questions about this online. And even Mike Florio just said, I've had 50 Bears fans ask me, based on... Ian Cunningham leaving based on the fact that if he got a promotion, the Bears were due compensatory draft picks two in the third round. And now that's not going to happen. It's one each draft. So like you get one this year, you get one the next year. The point is there should be compensation. The NFL should be defending the own rules that they created and that they adopted and set up to promote the hiring of minority candidates into front office jobs, which is what happened here.
Ian Cunningham left.
Why is Ian Cunningham's departure significant for the Bears?
That's your first indication that this was a promotion. The second one was how he's been talked about and the fact that it didn't happen and they're almost using like a loophole or a technicality to get around this. Everybody has every reason to question this and I'm glad we are.
Yeah, because Matt Ryan was referred to as the primary football executive in Atlanta. But now it would appear, which means that the Bears would not get the two third-round picks. Give us our draft picks. Give us our draft picks.
Because it was seen to the NFL loophole, and that's what this is, as a lateral move.
Exactly. But now Matt Ryan himself... is telling on himself in regards to this, saying that Ian Cunningham is in charge of the roster, of free agency, of the draft decisions.
So let's listen to Matt Ryan himself explain Ian Cunningham's role. When you...
are going through the draft process and the free agency. Are you going to be actively involved in that, or are you going to let your people do it?
How does the NFL's rule on compensatory picks apply here?
Man, Ian's in charge. Ian's in charge of that space. I'm looking forward to learning about this. I said it the other day in Ian's presser, I've never sat in a draft meeting, and so Monday's going to be the first time I'm sitting in a draft meeting, and I've got a lot to learn. So sitting, observing, being a fly on the wall, if there's something that Ian has a question about or something I can help with, I'm all ears, and I'm happy to share my opinion, but Ian is driving this boat, and he is the one that's leading us moving forward, and I'm excited about that. Ian is incredibly competent and qualified, and he's awesome, so looking forward to watching him do his thing.
The reason I ask that is because Tony Buscelli, who I know very well, actually is in the whole draft process and watches tapes and goes to the scouting and everything. I'm going to be in it, but I'm not driving it. Right. But you're going to be involved.
Yes, I'll be involved and I'll be involved in whatever way Ian needs me. You know, that really is, you know, Arthur from the top down, he believes in servant leadership. And there is no better servant leader than Arthur Blank. And I know that from being there as a player.
What role does Matt Ryan play in the Falcons' front office?
I have felt that for the last month in the role that I'm in. And really, my role is to be that same person for Kevin, to be that same person, you know, for Ian and really the rest of the building. And so, yeah, I'm going to be involved. Like, I love that kind of stuff. And I love being around it. This is what I'm passionate about. But I also understand my responsibility is to be there to help out Ian where I can. And, you know, maybe that's offering a different lens and offering a different perspective. But this is Ian's regular season right now, man. He is in it, and he is driving the ship for us.
We'll take two third-round draft picks, please.
What are we doing here? That's where I sit with this. Matt Ryan's title is president. Ian Cunningham's title is general manager.
How does Ian Cunningham's promotion impact the Bears' draft picks?
And unlike on a baseball team, say the Cubs, for example, where it has different connotation with Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins, Matt Ryan just told everybody what this is.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the case for the Bears to receive draft compensation?
0:01–1:11
2
Why is Ian Cunningham's departure significant for the Bears?
1:11–2:19
3
How does the NFL's rule on compensatory picks apply here?
2:19–3:14
4
What role does Matt Ryan play in the Falcons' front office?
3:14–3:54
5
How does Ian Cunningham's promotion impact the Bears' draft picks?
3:54–4:57
6
What are the implications of a lateral move in NFL hiring?
4:57–5:45
7
Why is there controversy surrounding the NFL's compensatory pick rules?
5:45–6:23
8
What broader issues in NFL hiring practices are raised in this episode?
6:23–13:57
Speakers
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