ARI Walter Nolen III
NFL player. Position: DL. Team: ARI.
Quick Facts
- Position: DL (Defensive Lineman)
- Team: ARI (Arizona Cardinals)
2026 Outlook
Nolen suffered a series of injuries in 2025, first missing the beginning of the regular season with a calf injury, then returning for six games and showing elite pass-rush ability along Arizona's defensive line before a knee injury (meniscus tear) ended his season in Week 16. He had surgery in the offseason and is trending toward being ready for training camp, which officially begins July 22. Head coach Mike LaFleur indicated optimism about Nolen's recovery: "We got great news on Garrett, that will not happen for him to be back right in July, but when I first got here, maybe I'm misspeaking here, but I mean it was like an October, November thing [for his injury], and now it's talking about getting him in training camp, getting him going." A healthy Nolen immediately raises the ceiling of Arizona's defense. This will be his first full training camp with the team after missing 2025's iteration due to the calf injury. (per Arizona Cardinals Notable Injuries to Monitor Going Into Training Camp)
September update — LaFleur's vision: Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur has positioned Nolen as the anchor of Arizona's rebuilding defense, comparing his upside to Aaron Donald's game-changing ability. In his limited six-game rookie sample, Nolen posted a 14.0% QB pressure rate (third-best among qualifying DTs), two sacks, and 13 pressures. LaFleur emphasized that dominant interior defensive linemen who affect both run and pass game are "a massive advantage," and Nolen believes he is "the heartbeat of the defense." The critical question is health: if Nolen can stay on the field in 2026, his elite pass-rush metrics suggest he could become a focal point for Arizona's defense (per Cardinals want Walter Nolen to be their Aaron Donald)
Role / Depth Chart
Defensive lineman in Arizona's defensive line rotation under new defensive coordinator Nick Rallis.
Injury Status
Meniscus tear from knee injury sustained in Week 16 of the 2025 season. Had surgery in the offseason and is expected to be available for training camp, though was not spotted working on the field with teammates during OTAs or minicamp.
Recent News
- 2026-09-01 — Cardinals HC Mike LaFleur positions Nolen as defense anchor, comparing to Aaron Donald (Cardinals want Walter Nolen to be their Aaron Donald)
- 2026-07-20 — Arizona Cardinals Notable Injuries to Monitor Going Into Training Camp (Arizona Cardinals Notable Injuries to Monitor Going Into Training Camp)