The Cleveland Browns may not have made the playoffs but the work done by the front office has not been overlooked the last couple of years. The Chicago Bears have reportedly requested to interview two different members of the Browns front office for their vacant general manager position.
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Glenn Cook are on the Bears list for hopeful interviews. Adofo-Mensah interviewed with the Carolina Panthers last year and could be a target of multiple clubs this offseason. He was mentioned as a possible sleeper candidate for GM jobs.
Adofo-Mensah held the director of football research and development position for the 49ers before Berry hired him in Cleveland. Just 10 years prior, he held titles like commodities trader and portfolio manager on Wall Street. His first job in football came when he was hired by the 49ers in 2013. He spoke about his work history when he was hired by Berry.
This will be the first known interview for a GM job for Cook, if Cleveland approves the Bears request.
Both executives would qualify the Browns for draft pick compensation if hired based on a rule adopted by the NFL last year. The basics of that rule were laid out as follows:
• A team that loses a minority assistant coach who becomes a head coach or loses a personnel executive who becomes a general manager will receive third-round compensatory picks in each of the next two drafts.
• A team that loses two minority staffers to head coach and general manager positions would receive three third-round picks.
Last year, the Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers, New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams were the first teams to receive the compensation and will receive another third-round pick this year as well.
Cleveland GM Andrew Berry has been lauded for his work since taking over the Browns in 2020. He may need to quickly restock his front office in the near future if either or both Adofo-Mensah and Cook are hired elsewhere.