Cardinals first-round pick Walter Nolen injures calf, Jonathan Gannon unsure of return timeline

The Arizona Cardinals will be without their first-round pick for the foreseeable future, as coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters Wednesday that defensive lineman Walter Nolen injured his calf while training, and is “going to miss some time.” Gannon also said he’s not sure at the moment if Nolen’s recovery timetable could drift into the season. 

This development likely gives Cardinals fans a case of unwanted deja vu, as one of Arizona’s first-round picks last year, Darius Robinson, played in just six games due to a preseason calf injury.

Arizona selected Nolen, who attended Ole Miss after transferring in from Texas A&M, with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft after a season in which he earned consensus All-American status and first-team All-SEC. Nolen recorded 6.5 sacks in 2024, which was tied for fourth-most among FBS defensive tackles, and registered the second-best PFF run defense grade by an FBS defensive tackle as well (91.6). 

Nolen projected to be an immediate-impact player for Gannon’s defense, and potentially start inside next to Dalvin Tomlinson with Josh Sweat and Justin Jones or Robinson holding down the edges. The Cardinals invested in the defensive front this offseason, after a year in which Arizona ranked bottom 10 in pressure percentage (30%), yards per rush allowed (4.6) and yards per play allowed (5.6).