ESPN Insider Believes Bears Will Receive Comp Picks for Ian Cunningham, Target Tyler Linderbaum

The Chicago Bears could receive unexpected help in the 2026 NFL Draft, and it may play a role in shaping their free-agency strategy.

During a recent appearance on ESPN 1000, ESPN Bears insider Courtney Cronin said she believes the NFL will ultimately award the Bears compensatory draft picks after assistant general manager Ian Cunningham was hired as the general manager of the Atlanta Falcons.

Cronin also indicated that the Bears could aggressively pursue Tyler Linderbaum if the Pro Bowl center reaches the open market in 2026 free agency.

Bears Could Still Receive Compensatory Picks for Ian Cunningham

When Cunningham was hired away by Atlanta earlier this offseason, the expectation around the league was that Chicago would receive compensatory draft picks as part of the NFL’s minority executive hiring incentive program.

However, the NFL initially ruled that the Bears won't receive those selections because Cunningham isn't technically the head football guy. That title belongs to Matt Ryan.

The Bears are appealing, and Cronin thinks their case has a shot.

"I actually do," Cronin said. "Because the precedent here, and other front offices have dealt with this, too, with the structure and the power structure of who's actually making the football decisions. Anytime Matt Ryan gets in front of a microphone, he's saying, 'I'm not the final say in personnel, that's Ian Cunningham.' It feels counterintuitive to the NFL's policy of the Rooney Rule, and the progress for minority candidates.

"You develop them one place, they go somewhere else, they get their draft picks for the team that they left. It feels like it's not in the spirit of the rule if the Bears don't get their picks."

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If that happens, the Bears could gain additional third-round picks in the 2026 and 2027 drafts, an outcome that would strengthen general manager Ryan Poles’s flexibility in both the draft and trade market.

For a team already navigating major roster changes this offseason, those extra picks could become valuable assets.

Tyler Linderbaum Emerging as a Bears 2026 Free-Agency Target

Cronin also suggested that Chicago could make a serious push for Linderbaum if he becomes available.

The center position has become one of the Bears’ most pressing needs following the sudden retirement of former Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman. Losing Dalman created an immediate vacancy in the middle of Chicago’s offensive line, forcing the front office to evaluate both free-agency and draft solutions.

Linderbaum would represent one of the most proven options available.

The former first-round pick has developed into one of the league’s most reliable centers during his time with the Baltimore Ravens. He won't come cheap, however.

In fact, the expectation is that Linderbaum will reset the center market with a contract near or exceeding $20 million per season.

What This Means for the Bears’ 2026 Offseason

Cronin’s insight highlights two developments that could shape the Chicago Bears' offseason plans.

First, the Bears may receive unexpected draft capital tied to Cunningham’s hiring in Atlanta. Second, the team appears positioned to explore high-level solutions at center following Dalman’s retirement.

If both scenarios unfold, the Bears could enter the next phase of roster building with additional resources and an upgrade at center with Linderbaum.

For a franchise trying to maximize its window around Caleb Williams, those decisions could play a significant role in shaping the 2026 season.