Football is a brutal business. 

And on Monday, the Carolina Panthers decided to waive Marquan McCall, the defensive lineman that spent the majority of his time at the nose tackle position. 

McCall, a second-year player, went undrafted last season before catching on with the Panthers, but heading into his second season, he is now a free agent. 

"These are always tough decisions," said head coach Frank Reich. "We appreciate his contribution. Honestly, we're doing it now because we think he's going to be on a roster somewhere it just comes down to two things. It comes down to a fit for us and what we're trying to do and then we've had a couple guys at that position who have really looked good."

He started in the preseason opener but moved down the depth chart quickly, playing 18 snaps with the reserves when Raequan Williams moved to start in the middle of the Panthers' 3-4 defense. 

The cut comes because the Panthers needed the roster spot for veteran cornerback Troy Hill, who the team signed Sunday night. 

Last season, McCall played in 16 games and recorded 15 tackles, two tackles for loss, and one QB hit.

Next Tuesday is the deadline for the Panthers to cut their roster to the 53-man regular-season limit. 

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Feature image via Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports.