NFL Trade Rumors: Frank Reich’s Panthers latest to enter Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes

The race for Aaron Rodgers has just gotten more interesting. As the quarterback ended his darkness retreat supposedly deciding about his future, ESPN insider Adam Schefter dropped a bomb during his appearance on "NFL Live."

Schefter said that the Carolina Panthers have called the Green Bay Packers to inquire about Rodgers' future, in case he decides to keep playing but leaves the Packers.

The Panthers have just changed their coaching staff, hiring Frank Reich to lead the team after three underwhelming years under Matt Rhule's leadership. Reich, who was fired by the Indianapolis Colts midway through the 2022 season, was the quarterback who threw the first touchdown pass in Panthers' history.

Speaking of franchise history, longtime Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson died on Thursday. Richardson, 86, was the owner from 1995 to 2017, when he sold the Panthers to David Tepper, the current owner.

Panthers inquire about Aaron Rodgers; Jets, Raiders also hopeful

Apart from the Packers, who still hope to keep their franchise quarterback for a few more years, the other two hopefuls for the quarterback's services are the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Jets, both teams that have a good enough roster to compete but need more quality out of their quarterbacks to become true contenders.

In Rodgers' case, it's clear that he does not want to be part of a rebuild, which is why his time in Green Bay might be nearing an end. There are advantages to all options: In Carolina and New York, he would be the perfect piece to lead a team with a young defense and some interesting options at the wide receiver position.

But in Las Vegas, he would have something that no other team could offer: He would reunite with his favorite wide receiver, Davante Adams, with whom he played together for eight seasons with the Packers and created a near-unstoppable duo.

Until he announces his decision, all options will be on the table and all teams will be hopeful. It's not every day that one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history becomes available, even though he's coming from a down season. The Rodgers' sweepstakes will change the fortunes of whichever franchise gets him for 2023 and beyond.