GLENDALE – One of the most intriguing prospects for the Arizona Cardinals heading into 2025 was their first-round pick Walter Nolen. The Ole Miss product wowed scouts at the Combine and was a unanimous first-round talent. Nolen was viewed as the missing piece to fix Arizona’s pass rush.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!However, a calf injury suffered during rookie minicamp has sidelined him for months now. The Cardinals placed Nolen on the Physical unable to play (PUP) list, which meant he would miss the first four weeks of the season at minimum. Four weeks have passed and no news have released about Nolen’s timeline.
Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III high-fives teammates prior to a preseason game against the Chiefs at State Farm Stadium on Aug. 9, 2025, in Glendale. © Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Cardinals DL Calais Campbell on Nolen’s progress thus far:
The news becomes more concerning when fellow defensive lineman Bilal Nichols has been taken off the PUP list and is eligible to practice. Arizona kept Nolen’s calf injury close to the chest and made it seem not serious. That is clearly not the case, as the 21-year-old has missed the preseason and the team’s first four games.
Jun 10, 2025; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III (97) talks with Calais Campbell (93) during minicamp at the teams Arizona Cardinals Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Cardinals defense have struggled to stay healthy throughout the start of the season. Despite that fact, the defense has sentiment itself as a top 10 unit in the NFL. Once the team gets healthy, and has players like Nolen return to the lineup, it become one of the best defenses in the league.
NFL analyst pleads to Cardinals WR Harrison Jr. to fix confidence issue
Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, and exclusive content. SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
