Walter Nolen Finally Set to Make Cardinals Debut vs Cowboys

Rookie defensive lineman Walter Nolen III is set to make his long-awaited NFL debut for the Arizona Cardinals tonight against the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football.

Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen smiles as he answers questions during the introductory news conference inside the Arizona Cardinals training facility on April 25, 2025, in Tempe. | Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona Cardinals rookie defensive lineman Walter Nolen III is finally set to make his NFL debut.

Nolen was officially activated from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list by Arizona ahead of their Week 9 Monday Night Football battle against the Dallas Cowboys.

Nolen suffered a calf injury before training camp and hasn't played an official down of football yet for the Cardinals - though that will be changing in just a few hours.

Many speculated he suffered a setback in his recovery after initial reports had Nolen returning around the beginning of the regular season.

Yet that didn't happen, as Nolen remained on PUP to begin the year and only recently had his practice window opened.

More on Walter Nolen

Aug 2, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Walter Nolen III in the Red and White practice during training camp at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Nolen, the team's first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, was a disruptive force along the Ole Miss defensive line during his time in college - which made him an attractive piece for the Cardinals, who were missing just that in the interior.

“It was a good night. We’re excited to add (DL) Walter Nolen III from Ole Miss. A guy we did a lot of work on," Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort told reporters after the draft.

"(We) scouted (him) through the fall, the Senior Bowl, the combine then we brought Walter in here for a (top) 30 visit. He impressed us the whole way. The tape spoke for itself—violent, disruptive, high motor, tenacious, three-down player. It is hard to find those guys that can affect the pocket from the interior of the formation, so we’re really excited to add Walter."

Now, a Cardinals' defensive line that has seen top production from Calais Campbell and nobody else hopes to see the No. 16 overall pick hit the ground running.

What Walter Nolen Brings to Cardinals

Jun 10, 2025; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III (97) during minicamp at the teams Arizona Cardinals Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

What can he bring to the table?

"Disruption. We’ve talked about it a lot. We wanted to have a more disruptive defensive unit," said Gannon on draft night.

"We think we’ve added players that can help us do that. When we find players that can affect the middle of the pocket, it puts a lot of stress on the offense. Walter is another guy that we think can help us do that, and we’re really excited to add him to our team.”

It's unlikely Nolen plays a high volume of snaps when he officially debuts tonight, as the Cardinals will look to bring him along easily while their front seven is heavily rotated as is.

However, it's still exciting to see Nolen finally able to suit up.