Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III (97) is introduced before their game against the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Nov. 16, 2025. Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cardinals Rule Out Star Rookie vs Buccaneers

Originally posted on Arizona Cardinals on SI
By Donnie Druin | Last updated Nov 26, 2025 11:52 AM ET

TEMPE -- The Arizona Cardinals will be without first-round pick Walter Nolen III against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed the news during his Wednesday morning press conference.

Nolen suffered a knee injury on a fumble return for a touchdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 12. He was ruled out for the second half after playing less than ten snaps.

The Cardinals have been quite impressed with the No. 16 overall pick, as his playmaking ability on the defensive interior has stood out during the first few games of his season after missing the first half, preseason and training camp with a calf injury.

More on Walter Nolen

“Disruptive. I think (in) the run and pass game he's doing a good job," Gannon said of Nolen entering last week's game.

"He doesn't make a lot of mistakes, which just being a couple games in here (and) with the time that he missed, it's kind of the first thing I look for. But schematically (he) executes at a pretty high level and he is disruptive.”

Dante Stills and PJ Mustipher are candidates to see an increased workload with Nolen out of the picture this week against a high level Buccaneers offense.

"He put time in the task. I always think you have to be able to take a positive in any situation, right?" Gannon continued.

"Obviously, he got hurt and he is not playing — that's a negative, but the positive of that is you have to study, focus and visualize the time extra with him because he wasn't playing so when they break meetings or after practice or whatever it is.

"He's on the details right now and he's only going to continue to get better.”

Nolen's played in four games this season with eight tackles (four for a loss) with one sack and one fumble recovered.

His PFF grade of 84.6 ranks near the top of the league for players at his position.

Nolen's only played in a handful of games but has shown all the tools and tape that made him a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Cardinals' chances were already low of beating Tampa Bay with Nolen in the mix, though his absence only complicates things moving into Week 13.