Cardinals Star DL Walter Nolen III Sends Message as Injury Return Awaits

The Arizona Cardinals hope to see their key DL back on the field. He says it's coming.

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 | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals are hoping to prove a lot of people wrong in 2026, and a key proponent of that success resides in the health of former first-round pick Walter Nolen III.

Nolen, carted off the field late in the season in what was revealed to be a torn meniscus, has been making progress in getting back to 100% — though he told reporters at a celebrity basketball game over the weekend he wouldn't be ready for the team's voluntary offseason team activities, which are set to begin Monday.

“I’ll be back and better,” Nolen said (h/t The Arizona Republic). “It’s all good."

Nolen said he expects to be ready for training camp, which hasn't had a start date officially unveiled but is supposed to be in the middle of July. Arizona will hit camp earlier than most NFL teams thanks to their participation in the NFL's Hall of Fame Game.

Nolen struggled with injuries all of last season, as he missed all of training camp, preseason and the first half of 2025 with a calf injury suffered training before camp. He played just six games.

However, those six games were among the most impressive for anybody in his rookie class — as Nolen was very much the violent and disruptive defensive lineman the Cardinals hoped he would be after making him the 16th overall pick.

Nolen tallied 11 tackles (5 TFL), 2 sacks, 5 quarterback hits and two passes defensed in the small time he was on the field.

“I’m not gonna get into the specifics of exactly what he had, I just know he’s looking good," new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur told reporters back at the NFL's owners meetings.

It was actually revealed through a TikTok video posted by Nolen's significant other months ago that he had meniscus surgery.

"Just build on top of it, I feel like I got to show a little of what I can do. I got a lot more left in the tank so just get out there and be fully healthy for a season, that's my main goal," said Nolen (h/t PHNX).

"Just expect us to shock a lot of people this year. They got us counted out."

If Nolen is able to stay fully healthy in a Cardinals defensive line that added back Roy Lopez and drafted Kaleb Proctor in the fourth-round, Arizona could surely do just that.