Arizona Cardinals' Draft Pick Was Best Offseason Move

The Arizona Cardinals had anything but a quiet offseason.

So far, 2025 appears to be shaping into a year that could define the Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon era — for better or worse.

At a glance, there's hope that this year's acquisitions will help propel the Cardinals to "better" rather than "worse," but execution will remain the key factor.

The Cardinals' offseason additions were almost purely defensive adds, and for good reason. Arizona's defense lacked a pass rush that could put any sort of pressure on opposing QBs and their young, rising secondary paid much of that price, despite showing some promising signs.

Walter Nolen Was Arizona Cardinals' Best Offseason Move

CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin listed out the best offseason move by all 32 NFL teams. The Cardinals had a variety of candidates (at least on paper) for their best move, but Benjamin went chalk, and settled on defensive lineman Walter Nolen III — the stud Arizona took at 16th overall in the first round of the draft.

"Questions remain about the ceiling of an offense led by Kyler Murray, but there should be no questioning Jonathan Gannon's defensive front now. The rookie Nolen is a potential game-wrecker for the Cardinals' remade interior, and his entering the NFL alongside more proven additions like Josh Sweat and Dalvin Tomlinson should only help. Arizona might finally win in the trenches," Benjamin wrote.

Nolen wasn't necessarily the most big-time prospect on the board, but many saw his selection at 16 as a potential steal for Arizona. He was a stud in the SEC playing for Ole Miss, and any questions about his dedication and love for football appear to have been answered.

Clearly, Ossenfort and Gannon are comfortable with who Nolen is as a person, and his resume as a player is impressive as well.

Walter Nolen Can Dominate for Arizona Cardinals

Nolen managed to record 6.5 sacks and 14 TFLs in his final year with Ole Miss. With an imposing build and a twitchy release, the Cardinals may have a legitimate game-wrecking weapon along the defensive line.

Luckily for Nolen and Arizona alike, the rookie won't have to come in and save a struggling unit. He'll have help off the edge in the form of Josh Sweat, and interior options like Calais Campbell, Dalvin Tomlinson and Darius Robinson to share the load.

If Nolen can truly grow under Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, he may be a name that sits among some of the NFL's most feared DL in the years to come.

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