New Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich is targeting Vic Fangio to be his defensive coordinator, a source told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.
Anderson suggested the Panthers might make Fangio the NFL's highest-paid defensive coordinator to complete the move.
However, while Carolina and Fangio have had discussions following a mid-January interview, a deal appears to be unlikely, sources told Joe Person of The Athletic.
Widely regarded as one of the league's premier defensive minds, Fangio was reportedly being eyed by Sean Payton for his staff.
However, it was unclear if Fangio was still in the running for the role once the Panthers' interest in Payton cooled and they pivoted to Reich.
The Miami Dolphins and Atlanta Falcons, the latter of which hired Ryan Nielsen as DC on Friday, also brought in Fangio for an interview.
Fangio was the Denver Broncos' head coach from 2019-21, earning a 19-30 record. He spent this season with the Philadelphia Eagles as a consultant.
