Falcons GM search begins Thursday

According to Ian Rapoport, Chiefs assistant GM Mike Bradway has also received an interview request from the Falcons. That said, the favorites for the position since the start of the offseason have been Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham and 49ers director of scouting Josh Williams, both of whom are also interviewing for the job.

Cunningham has ties to Matt Ryan through Ryan Poles, the current Bears general manager. Poles and Ryan were teammates at Boston College and have remained close friends, with Poles helping Ryan as he transitions into the front office. That connection made Cunningham the early favorite in the eyes of many. However, the buzz surrounding Josh Williams has picked up significant steam over the past week, with multiple reports suggesting he may now be the frontrunner.

If I had to guess, the hire will come down to Cunningham or Williams — unless someone blows Matt Ryan and company away during the interview process. It’s also worth noting that both Cunningham and Williams were part of the Falcons’ President of Football search, the role Ryan now holds, meaning the organization has already spent considerable time evaluating each candidate.