The Arizona Cardinals are making significant changes to their team. This offseason, they revamped their offense with Kyler Murray now in Minnesota and Jeremiyah Love joining Arizona. Nathaniel Hackett has taken up the role of offensive coordinator under first-time head coach Mike LaFleur, previously the offensive coordinator for the Rams.
On defense, Walter Nolen III is capturing attention as the potential standout player for 2026. Picked 16th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft from Ole Miss, Nolen joined the Cardinals after an impressive college career. During his dominant junior year, he achieved consensus All-American and first-team All-SEC honors. He recorded 48 combined tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries across 13 games.
Standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 300 pounds, Nolen entered his rookie season with high expectations. However, a calf injury placed him on the PUP list just before training camp, delaying his NFL debut to Week 9 against the Cowboys. When he returned, his performance was notable. He recorded four tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack in his first game. Later, he scored a touchdown against the Jaguars.
Unfortunately, a knee injury in Week 16 against Atlanta ended his season. He concluded the year with 11 combined tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, and a fumble recovery in only six games. Nolen’s injury, though feared to be a torn ACL, turned out to be a torn meniscus, allowing for a quicker recovery. As training camp approaches, he’s already working out with the team and progressing well.
The Cardinals released veteran Calais Campbell, clearing the way for Nolen to play more. Campbell participated in 46% of the defensive snaps last year. Despite drafting Kaleb Proctor, who suffered a torn meniscus as well, expectations for Nolen remain high. With Darius Robinson and a familiar system under defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, Nolen is set to start Week 1 fully healthy.
If Nolen’s short rookie stint serves as an indicator of his potential, he could anchor Arizona’s defense for the long term. Cardinals fans eagerly await the impact he could have over a full 17-game season.