The Arizona Cardinals finalized their slate of preseason games on Tuesday, and the matches are rough.
The Cardinals will face a trio of AFC opponents in the preseason: the Kansas City Chiefs (Aug. 9), the Denver Broncos (Aug. 16), and the Las Vegas Raiders (Aug. 23). Nothing screams "throwing them into the deep end” than having your rookies’ first NFL scrimmage be against a squad that’s been in five of the last six Super Bowls.
And it’s not like the Chiefs will take it easy. Coach Andy Reid usually plays his starters in the pre-season, meaning Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and the rest of the Chiefs will travel to State Farm Stadium for the early August matchup. Woof. The positive? Fans can watch that and the Broncos matchup on the NFL Network. It’s something, at least.
Now, the preseason is no indicator of how the team’s season will go. The Cards lost all three matches in 2024 before going 8-9. They won 2 out of 3 games in 2023 and ended the season with their second consecutive 4-13 record. So, take these matches with a grain of salt. Coach Jonathan Gannon will make adjustments and get the team ready for their season opener against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 7.
But for one rookie, the final preseason game will be a trial by fire.
Walter Nolen Will Face Ashton Jeanty In The Preseason
The Las Vegas Raiders got (arguably) the steal of the 2025 NFL Draft when they snatched up running back Ashton Jeanty. Though many mock drafts predicted Jeanty would go to the Raiders, it’s still hard to believe five other teams didn’t select this Maxwell Award-winner (and Heisman runner-up). He set a plethora of records at Boise State and finished his 2024 season with 2,288 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns.
He’s already drawing comparisons to Barry Sanders, which should light a fire under Walter Nolen III (who himself claims to be the next Aaron Donald).
The Cardinals selected the Ole Miss defensive end with their first-round pick (16th overall). With Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort focusing heavily on the defense with their offseason/draft moves, it’s not beyond reason to think Nolen will be a key factor in these plans to create a defensive unit that puts fear into their opponents (call it the “Red Scare”).
The Cardinals’ preseason game with the Raiders will allow these two rookies to meet up in a clash of the undeniable force versus the unmovable object. It will also give Nolen a chance to make a statement before the regular season starts.
It’s also the only time fans will see Nolen vs. Jeanty. The two didn’t get to play each other in college (Ole Miss is in the SEC, Boise State is in the Mountain West conference). And the Cardinals won’t face the Raiders during the 2025 regular season.
If Nolen can keep Jeanty from running roughshod over the Cardinals, it’ll send a message to the rest of the league right before action truly starts.