Ian Cunningham's introductory press conference with the Atlanta Falcons went as well as it could've been. His experience learning from two legendary GMs in Ozzie Newsome and Howie Roseman kept coming up, and Cunningham revealed he wants to emulate aspects of their processes in his new role.
"We're gonna build through the trenches. If you look at all those teams (the Ravens and Eagles), thats the philosophy. Draft, develop, and retain, that's gonna be our philosophy here too. You can never have too many draft picks."Ian Cunningham
Cunningham revealed to the local media that like his mentors with the Ravens and Eagles, the Falcons want to build through the trenches. The term smart, tough, and physical kept coming up, which is in line with the same vision Kevin Stefanski and Matt Ryan are hoping to instill in Atlanta.
The 40-year-old won two Super Bowls as an executive (one in Baltimore and one in Philadelphia) while learning from those two general managers, so he has a great frame of reference for what makes a great GM, especially since drafting well in the trenches is something the Falcons have struggled with.
He also mentioned drafting and developing talent, but he's a step behind the 8-ball since the Dirty Birds only have five draft picks in 2026 and no first-round pick due to the James Pearce Jr. trade. That'll make that vision harder to fulfill, but all it means is that hitting on Days 2 and 3 is pivotal.
Ian Cunningham confirms the Falcons want to build through the trenches and hoard draft picks
Despite that lack of draft capital, Cunningham is also a step ahead in a sense because they already have two bookend pass rushers in Pearce and Jalon Walker, and the offensive line is one of the NFL's better units. So even though they may be devoid of 2026 draft picks, the roster is talented enough to instantly compete.
Another interesting tidbit he brought up was about retaining successful draft picks. Kyle Pitts is set to be a free agent and Bijan Robinson and Drake London are eligible for new extensions, so he better put his money where his mouth is to pay those guys their worth to ensure they stay in Atlanta for years to come.
All this means is that Cunningham is going to need to put his scouting background to good use, especially this April. The Falcons found Brandon Dorlus and Billy Bowman Jr. in the fourth round of the NFL Draft and Xavier Watts in the third round, so they are certainly capable of hitting after Day 1.
It's interesting to see how these experiences shaped him, especially since that's the main reason fans are excited about this hire. Under Terry Fontenot and Raheem Morris, this sort of vision was never really there, so Cunningham and Stefanski (through hiring Bill Callahan) are in sync on this one.