TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals ruled defensive lineman Walter Nolen III out with a knee injury on Wednesday ahead of the team’s road matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Nolen, 22, suffered a knee injury in the team’s overtime loss at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars, a game in which he scored his first-ever touchdown at the pro level.
This is a crucial loss for Arizona’s defense, as, while young, he has proved to be the force in the middle that the team has been waiting for. Learning from future Hall of Famer Calais Campbell, Nolen establishes the inside to clear the way for Josh Sweat on the edge.
Ahead of the team’s game last week, head coach Jonathan had only one word to describe Nolen as a player… “disruptive.”
The team can expect an increase in reps from Dalvin Tomlinson, who sits behind Nolen, as well as Darius Robinson on the depth chart. Tomlinson, 31, signed a two-year deal with the Cardinals in the offseason. In 2025, Tomlinson started all eleven games but has yet to record a sack. However, most of his playing time came before Nolen made his debut in Week 9, as he missed the first nine games of his career due to a calf injury.
This is a devastating loss for Arizona, but the veteran presence at the position should do them a favor.
Not just the Cardinals, but the Buccaneers, and the NFL world are all waiting for an injury status regarding Baker Mayfield. The 30-year-old left Sunday Night Football with a shoulder injury that he suffered on the final play of the first half. Teddy Bridgewater took over for the second half, but it didn’t matter, as the Buccaneers were curb-stomped by a final score of 34–7.
Losing out on Nolen hurts, but it is definitely a loss that can be overcome; it just depends on the situation. It will be interesting to see what Gannon has in store on defense for Sunday.