
Arizona Cardinals rookie DL Walter Nolen already learning veteran health habits
Defensive lineman Walter Nolen, the Arizona Cardinals' first-round pick of the 2025 NFL, is only 21 years old and is the youngest player in a defensive line room full of veterans — newcomers Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell and returners Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols.
Nolen has only been in the building with the veterans for a few weeks and they haven't practiced in pads yet, and only one week of the offseason was mandatory for the veterans, but Nolen is already soaking in veteran knowledge, although it isn't as much about what is happening on the field as it is about what he does off of it.
What has he learned from the guys like Campbell and Tomlinson?
"Really just how to take care of your body," he told reporters on Monday. "That's your money maker, so just make sure your body is prepared every day to handle what's going on."
He has even started doing things like old guys do.
One way is focusing on his nutrition.
"I never really focused on the eating part of it," he explained. "So, they say you're supposed to have two fists of color (when you eat). So, I get some broccoli or some fruit or something every day. So, I just going to keep that going and see what it takes me to."
He is also doing more to care of his body, doing "some of the things like they do inside the building," nothing he is usually "one of the first people in the building."
"I started going extra cold tub time and, getting in the sun every day and
"Usually I'm one of the first people in the building, but uh, really just some of the things like they do inside the building. I done start doing like the extra cold tub time and you know, um, just getting in the sun every day and staying in the training room."
The extra attention to his body will hopefully prepare him for the long NFL season and help him avoid injuries, as the Cardinals have had issues with injuries on the defensive line for many seasons.
And by using old veteran habits as a youngster, he is preparing himself for a long, successful NFL career.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


NBC Sports
3 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Bill Belichick: North Carolina is a pro program, we have an NFL approach in college
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick says he's coaching his college football team like he coached in the NFL. Asked at the ACC media day if he's trying to introduce NFL-level schemes and concepts to college football, Belichick answered, 'That's exactly what we're trying to do. That's my philosophy.' Belichick said he views the Tar Heels like a pro team that just needs some minor adjustments for younger players. 'It's a pro program,' Belichick said. 'Practice, training, food, schemes, terminology, it's all a pro program. Not to the extent that we did it in the NFL — there will be fewer plays, fewer adjustments — but it will be along those lines.' Belichick said to the extent that he'll coach differently, it's largely about the differences between NCAA rules, such as college football's wider hashmarks and the overtime format that takes place mostly in the red zone. 'There's some things I don't think we'll need at this level and other things that we are,' Belichick said. 'Based on hashmarks and things like that that are difference, the overtime system — the red area could potentially come up a lot more than in the NFL on a percentage basis. Things like that that you just have to take into consideration. But fundamentally, we're going to do as much as we can as a pro system.'
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Eagles' 12 most intriguing players in 2025: Can our No. 7 player come out of his shell?
PHILADELPHIA − We see glimpses every now and then of the cocky, trash-talking, fun-loving cornerback that Quinyon Mitchell can be. But most of the time, Mitchell is reserved, willing to let his actions on the field do his talking for him. It worked well for Mitchell last season as a rookie with the loquacious veteran Darius Slay playing on the opposite side at cornerback. But Slay is gone, and no one else on the roster has played more snaps as an Eagles cornerback than Mitchell, who was a starter and full-time player from Week 1. So should the Eagles expect more of an outgoing, vivacious display from Mitchell this season? Perhaps the parade, when Mitchell was seen celebrating with fans − adult beverages and all − was an indication of Mitchell coming out of his shell. Then again, while fellow 2024 rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean was spread thin around the region during the offseason, basking in the adulation of being a key part of the Super Bowl champs, Mitchell mostly kept a low profile. So, has his life changed since the Super Bowl? "Nah, I just been the same dude," he said. "I feel like I've always been the same dude." But in many ways, Mitchell's life will change, at least on the football field. Mitchell, not Slay, is now the leader of the cornerback room. Mitchell, not Slay, will be required to lock down the opponent's top receiver, perhaps traveling from side-to-side wherever that player lines up. NFL: The 'r' word Eagles, Nick Sirianni won't use about the Super Bowl. They use this instead That's why Mitchell is No. 7 on our list of 12 most intriguing Eagles heading into the start of training camp on July 22. We're counting them down each weekday from No. 12 to No. 1. The series began July 7 and will culminate with the start of camp. Mitchell, of course, knows all of this. He has always been a student of the game, and he learned a lot from Slay, who turned 34 years old last season and served as a mentor for Mitchell. But Mitchell also knows that he has to lead differently. He learned that from Slay as well. "I just think what he showed me was just connecting well with the guys," Mitchell said. "Just learning from each other, so I just pick everybody else's brain in the group. Helping everybody out. Just been gelling together." That has not only resonated with the other young cornerbacks, but also with veteran free agent Adoree Jackson, who spent the last four seasons with the Giants. "Obviously, being in New York, I got to study and see them on film, and see those two guys perform without knowing them," Jackson said about Mitchell and DeJean. "Then actually getting to know them, (they are) students of the game, hard workers, very humble. And just good general people. "I've been excited watching them compete and compete with them, then learn from them as well because they've been here and they're helping me out." Celebrate the Eagles' Super Bowl win with our new book Mitchell said he's not satisfied with a rookie season in which he passed every test and was one of the finalists for rookie defensive player of the year. After all, Mitchell ranked third among NFL cornerbacks in fewest yards allowed per coverage snap at 0.8 yards (minimum of 600 snaps). He also ranked third among NFL defensive backs in forced incompletions at 15. None of that, however, means anything going into the 2025 season. "Like coach said, we're on the mountain right now, so it's just getting better each and every day, learning new stuff, getting better at my strengths and weaknesses," Mitchell said. So where on the mountain is Mitchell?"At the bottom," he said. Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@ Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Read his coverage of the Eagles' championship season in 'Flying High,' a new hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Quinyon Mitchell: Why Philadelphia Eagles cornerback is key to success
Yahoo
6 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Eagles 12 most intriguing: No. 4 will be best OL in team history − ahead of Kelce, Peters
PHILADELPHIA − Father Time has nothing on Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson. At least not yet. Johnson is 35 years old, entering his 13th season, and has long been considered the top right tackle in the NFL. Here's the scary part − for Eagles opponents:"I'm 35 and I feel like I'm better than when I was 29, 30," Johnson said. "I feel like I'm getting close to maybe my peak. As weird as it is to say, that's truly how I feel." SIRIANNI AND SUPER BOWL: The 'r' word Eagles, Nick Sirianni won't use about the Super Bowl. They use this instead JALEN HURTS RESPECT: 'That's 'B.S.'' Eagles coach rips Jalen Hurts narrative regarding Saquon Barkley, others But that doesn't tell the entire story of Johnson's dominance, and how he will likely go down as the best offensive lineman in Eagles' history. Yes, better than Jason Peters, Jason Kelce and anybody else. That's why Johnson is No. 4 on our list of 12 most intriguing Eagles heading into the start of training camp on July 22. We're counting them down each weekday from No. 12 to No. 1. The series began July 7 and will culminate with the start of camp. There's the longevity factor. Over the past two seasons, franchise icons Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox and Kelce retired. That leaves Johnson, who was the Eagles' first-round pick (No. 4 overall) in 2013, as the longest-tenured Eagle. By far. The next closest to Johnson is kicker Jake Elliott, who was signed in 2017. After that, it's left tackle Jordan Mailata and tight end Dallas Goedert, both drafted in 2018. Incredibly, as dominant as the Eagles' offensive line has been over the last several years, right guard, the position next to Johnson, has been a revolving door. Since 2021, the Eagles have had a different starter there every season. That will be the case this season, too, whether Tyler Steen or Kenyon Green or somebody else wins the job after Mekhi Becton played there last season. "No one ever talks about that − how many guards has he played next to, and has had stellar performances year after year?" Mailata said. "If it wasn't for (offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland) and Lane being able to adapt and be as great as he is, that's the reason why we're able to fill in that position." Johnson isn't close to being done, either. Johnson had his contract extended last spring through the 2027 season, when Johnson will be 37 years old. That would be his 15th season, tying Brandon Graham for the longest tenure in Eagles' history. If Johnson plays in 49 of the 51 games over these next three seasons, he will surpass Graham's franchise record of games played. Graham played in 206; Johnson is at 158. Johnson has missed five games over the last three seasons. Celebrate the Eagles' Super Bowl win with our new book In addition, Johnson has been selected for the Pro Bowl six times, including each of the last three seasons. If Johnson gets one more Pro Bowl nod, he'll tie Peters, Kelce, Brian Dawkins and Reggie White for second most in Eagles history with seven. If Johnson gets two more, he'll tie Chuck Bednarik for first place. And three more will put Johnson alone in the Eagles' record book with nine. All of which is possible, even as Johnson ages into his late 30s. Have you seen Johnson's workouts? There's one video posted on social media in which Johnson is carrying an entire weight set, estimated at 705 pounds, at least 20-30 yards. Johnson, who's listed at 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, does all of it to stay ahead of not only Father Time, but all of the bigger linemen coming into the NFL. The Eagles drafted three linemen last spring − tackles Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams, and center/guard Drew Kendall. Hinton is 6-7, 323; Williams is 6-6, 317; and Kendall is 6-4, 308. That's in addition to Mailata, who's 6-8, 365; and left guard Landon Dickerson, who's 6-6, 332. "They're big," Johnson said about the young players. "Everybody's big. ... They're very smart; they're in tune. They've been a lot of fun so far." Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@ Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Read his coverage of the Eagles' championship season in 'Flying High,' a new hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Lane Johnson: Philadelphia Eagles 12 most intriguing players in 2025