Cardinals Rule 2 Starters Out vs Cowboys

The Arizona Cardinals will be missing some key names in the trenches.

Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III (97) against the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

ARIZONA – The Arizona Cardinals are ruling two starters out against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8.

Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters on Friday morning that defensive lineman Walter Nolen III and offensive lineman Jon Gaines II are out this weekend.

Arizona Cardinals coach Mike LaFleur says DL Walter Nolen III & G Jon Gaines II are both OUT against the Cowboys. pic.twitter.com/xyHjpv2zUD

— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) October 30, 2026

Nolen and Gaines are both set to miss their second matchup in a row and did not practice at all this week due to ankle injuries.

Arizona is set to get running back Jeremiyah Love in the mix — you can read about that here.

Both are respectively big pieces to the Cardinals' trenches, as Nolen (a former first-round pick) has been dealing with injuries since entering the league while Gaines was recently thrust into a starting role.

Arizona now enters Sunday's contest in Dallas with even more depleted play on both sides of the line of scrimmage, which doesn't bode well for their chances to control the game.

The Cardinals are expecting right tackle Elijah Wilkinson to play this week while Hjalte Froholdt was missing from Friday's practice.

Both Arizona and Dallas will reveal their respective injury reports later today, though things don't look good for the Cardinals.

The Cowboys have one of the NFL's worst defensive units, though LaFleur says there's talent across the board on their team.

“I just said the talent. There is talent on all their levels, but their defensive line is real. I’ve been with (Cowboys DT) Quinnen (Williams) in New York. It starts with him. He can wreck a game quickly. I remember that when he was a young guy, I remember that being with him and it certainly hasn’t changed," LaFleur said.

"Sometimes, particularly early (in the scouting process) as you’re trying to learn some things and stuff like that — you just look at the tape and what your eyes tell you more than the numbers.”