Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

What is going on with Cardinals 1st-round pick Walter Nolen?

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 4:50 PM ET

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.

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 DL Calais Campbell on Nolen’s progress thus far:

"I know Walter (Nolen) is a very talented guy and he's making his progress."

Arizona Cardinals DL Calais Campbell say the defensive line has a ton of talent but they've got to produce while injured players work their way back @PHNX_Cardinals pic.twitter.com/HnmCbtOHOH

— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) September 29, 2025

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.

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.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: