It’s the first Friday of a new NFL season, which means somebody is going to get their heart broken.

Reports of the first roster cuts for the Panthers in 2019 have begun trickling in. So far, wide receiver/punt returner Jaydon Mickens, cornerback Corn Elder and quarterback Taylor Heinicke have all been reported to be released. While Heinicke getting cut doesn’t qualify as a surprise, it is no less disheartening considering his situation.

When Heinicke heard the news, he took to Instagram and admitted it hurts.

Heinicke outplayed both Kyle Allen and Will Grier this preseason. However, he was put behind the eight ball by a lingering arm injury earlier this offseason and he was usually facing third-string defenses.

Most of all, Heinicke suffered because of Grier’s status as a third-round pick. It would have been much easier for Carolina to cut its losses with a sixth or seventh-round pick at QB who had a preseason like Grier’s, but they have to at least give him another year to develop. Because they don’t want to risk losing him to another team, he can’t be put on the practice squad. That’s the main reason why Heinicke is the odd man out.

Football is a brutal business and not always the flawless meritocracy we make it out to be. Hopefully, Heinicke catches on somewhere else, because he deserves a legitimate opportunity.