GLENDALE, Ariz. — Only at the beginning of November were we able to see the Cardinals' first-round pick, Walter Nolen III, as the rookie out of Ole Miss was dealing with a calf injury that he suffered over the offseason.
In his NFL debut against the Dallas Cowboys, Nolen recorded his first-ever sack as a pro, a game where the Cardinals won 27–17 and snapped a five-game losing streak.
On Sunday of Week 12, Nolen managed to hit another first of his career, as he scored his first touchdown. The play occurred with 2:26 remaining in the first quarter, when Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was sacked by safety Jalen Thompson, which jarred the ball loose, and it was picked up by the 22-year-old Nolen, who returned it for six.
While the Cardinals lost in overtime to the Jaguars 27–24, Nolen provided fans something to cheer about. It seems as if Arizona finally has its man in the middle of the defensive line, who is, in fact, learning from one of the greatest of all time in Calais Campbell.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon used one word to describe having Nolen in the middle of the defense…“disruptive.”
Unfortunately, Nolen had to leave the game early with a knee injury and did not play in the second half. It is still unclear when the injury happened, but his absence played a huge role in the Cardinals' performance on defense in the second half.
Leading up to the team’s game, Nolen was a limited participant all week but was able to suit up in the end. We don’t know if he reaggravated the same injury he was dealing with in practice, or if it was a new injury. It will be vital for him to rehab accordingly this week as the Cardinals take to the road to face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6–5).