Even after Joe Judgeâs standout interview Monday led to him becoming the Giantsâ head coach, the franchise still had Matt Rhule as their preferred candidate. The Panthersâ seven-year, $62MM offer to the Baylor head coach essentially prompted the Giants to fold their hand on this front, with Ralph Vacchiano of SNY noting Big Blue balked at the contract length and salary. Rhuleâs $8.9MM salary makes him the sixth-highest-paid coach in the league â behind Bill Belichick ($12MM per year), Pete Carroll ($11MM AAV), Jon Gruden ($10MM), Sean Payton ($9.8MM) and John Harbaugh ($9MM). The Panthers also paid Baylor a $6MM buyout, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Just months ago, Rhule agreed to an extension with the Big 12 program. Here is the latest from the coaching front: * In addition to missing out on the Ron Rivera boat, the Giants wanted to speak with Mike McCarthy again, Vacchiano adds. The Cowboys swooping in prevented such an opportunity. * Big Blue received a ringing Judge endorsement from Belichick, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link). The former Giants defensive coordinator and six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach called the Giants to sell them on Judgeâs credentials, despite his non-traditional candidacy as a special teams coordinator. * Shifting to McCarthyâs Cowboys staff, the team is expected to hire Rams special teams coordinator John Fassel to the same position, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Fasselâs contract was up. The second-generation NFL coach will relocate to Dallas after spending eight seasons with the Rams. Fassel came over from the Raiders in 2012, when Jeff Fisher took over in St. Louis, and stayed on with Sean McVayâs team for three seasons. Fassel served as Rams interim HC in 2016, after the franchise fired Fisher. The Rams are losing their DC and ST coordinators, with Wade Phillips also out of the picture. * Other candidates have surfaced to relocate to Texas. Cowboys assistants expect Saints linebackers coach Mike Nolan to be named Dallasâ new defensive coordinator, Albert Breer of SI.com notes. Nolan was the 49ersâ head coach in 2005, when McCarthy served as San Franciscoâs OC. Additionally, Redskins defensive line coach Jim Tomsula is on McCarthyâs radar, per Pelissero (on Twitter). Tomsula was the 49ersâ HC in 2015 and has been the Redskinsâ D-line coach since 2017. * The Bengals and special teams coordinator Darrin Simmonshave agreed to an extension, Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports (on Twitter). A longtime Dolphins ST boss, Simmons interviewed for the Bengalsâ HC job last year and joined Cincinnatiâs staff as a key assistant after the top job went to Zac Taylor. Despite Cincinnatiâs 2-14 record, the team ranked first in special teams DVOA under its first-year leader. #JohnFassel #BillBelichick #MikeNolan