In quarterback news that may or may not affect the New York Jets, Wilson is being cut.

Russell, not Zach.

As the Jets continue shopping Zach after his failed tenure as a former second overall draft pick, the Broncos announced Monday they are released Russell after a short, unsuccessful stint in Denver.

Well, Jets owner Woody Johnson did say recently “We need a backup quarterback.”

Wilson won a Super Bowl in Seattle and was supposed to bring championship hopes to Denver when it traded two first-round picks, two seconds, a fifth and players Drew Lock, Noah Fant and Shelby Harris for him two years ago. Instead, he went 11-19 in 30 starts.

In 2022 the Broncos signed him to a five-year, $264 million contract extension. They are releasing him now to avoid paying his $37 million salary in 2025, but are on the hook for his $39 million this season.

The New York Jets are in the quarterback market, but more for a young backup to 40-year-old Aaron Rodgers rather than a 35-year-old veteran who will likely seek a starting job in the league.

It was just a couple of weeks ago, however, that former Jets’ general manager Mike Tannenbaum called it a “great fit” and suggested New York should sign Russell.

“If you’re Russell Wilson … where else is he gonna go?” Tannenbaum said on ESPN’s Get Up! last month. “So, if you have to sit for a year, why not sit behind one of the greatest of all time and then be a free agent again? Pay him $1 million and let him resurrect his career.”

Russell is already being projected as a starting quarterback candidate for teams like the Falcons, Vikings, Steelers and Raiders. Plus, it’s uncomfortable – if not unimaginable – to consider him reuniting with former Broncos’ head coach and current New York offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett on the Jets.

During a dismal 2022, Russell is rumored to have had a major say in getting Hackett fired in Denver with a 4-11 record.