Latest news with #Nolen
USA Today
a day ago
- Sport
- USA Today
2025 Arizona Cardinals training camp roster preview: DL Walter Nolen III
We will preview every player on the Cardinals roster leading up to training camp. This is about DL Walter Nolen III. The Arizona Cardinals report to training camp on July 22 and begin the process of preparing for the regular season, forming the roster and determining starting jobs and roles on the team. Leading up to the start of camp, we will take a look at every player on the offseason roster, their background, their contract, their play in 2024, questions they face and their roster outlook. Next up is defensive lineman Walter Nolen III. Walter Nolen III background, 2024 season After playing high-school football for three schools in two states (Mississippi and Tennessee), Nolen began his college career at Texas A&M and finished at Ole Miss. He was named USA TODAY's National Defensive Player of the Year in his final high-school season (2021). He was selected by the Cardinals with the 16th overall pick in the first round of this year's draft. In his one Ole Miss season last year (13 starts), Nolen had 48 tackles (25 solo, 14 for loss), 6.5 sacks, three passes defensed and two fumble recoveries. In his three-year college career, he played 35 games with 27 starts and recorded 114 tackles (62 solo, 25 for loss) and 11.5 sacks. Walter Nolen III 2025 contract details, cap hit His four-year rookie contract, which includes a fifth-year option, is worth $19.4 million guaranteed and features a $10.7 million signing bonus. This year's salary is the rookie minimum $840,000 and the salary-cap charge is $3.52 million. 2025 questions, roster outlook Nolen was a quick study in offseason workouts prior to training camp and the Cardinals hope that translates into a rookie season that will result in him having an impact on the defense. Even with the depth in the defensive line room, he should have a significant role in the rotation of players. 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.
USA Today
17-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Arizona Cardinals rookie DL Walter Nolen already learning veteran health habits
Arizona Cardinals rookie DL Walter Nolen already learning veteran health habits The Cardinals' first-round pick hasn't been around the veterans long but is already doing veteran things for his health 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.
USA Today
12-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Contract details for rookie DL Walter Nolen III and what people are saying about him
Contract details for rookie DL Walter Nolen III and what people are saying about him Howard Balzer breaks down Nolen's rookie deal and shares what people are saying about the Cardinals' first-round pick. There have been only eight practices this offseason with the final one of minicamp Thursday, but Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III has been receiving rave notices from teammates and coaches. Also important is that Nolen signed his rookie contract this week, a four-year deal, with a fifth-year option worth $19,367,550 guaranteed and includes a signing bonus of $10,725,492. His salary-cap charge in 2025 is $3,521,373. The contract includes minimum base salaries each year ($840,000 this year; $1.005 million in 2026, $1.12 million in 2027 and $1.235 million in 2028. However, his pay in those final three years will be larger because of roster bonuses payable on the fifth day of training camp. That money for first-round picks has often been included in the base salary, but the bonus gets it in their hands earlier than it being prorated over the 18-week season. Those bonuses are $715,343 in 2026; $1,480,686 in 2027 and $2,246,029 in 2028. Now, about those accolades for the player selected with the 16th pick of the draft. Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis reflected on coaches watching a big screen in defensive backs coach Patrick Toney's office on draft night and how he was 'just hoping that we would be able to get Walt. Obviously super excited about the player that he is, the guy that he is.' As for what he's seen in the brief work so far, Rallis said, 'I knew he was gonna be the talent that we saw on tape. I would say he's very coachable, great to work with. You see him take those coaching points immediately to the field, whether that's in individual or when going against the offense. And I can tell he studies hard outside the building because he's got things down pretty fast. So pretty impressive so far.' Fellow lineman Dalvin Tomlinson, signed as a 31-year-old free agent this offseason, said Tuesday, 'I love his quickness, his pass rush. I saw him in some drills and stuff today in our team period. He's just fluid like it comes natural to him and as we progress in training camp with pads on, he's just a natural good defensive tackle. It's just like the sky is the limit for him. And I'm happy I'm part of the process to help him continue to improve.' Last year, the Cardinals selected defensive lineman Darius Robinson in the first round at 27 overall. Both are from the SEC with Robinson playing for Missouri and Nolen for Mississippi. 'I love it,' Robinson said after the first OTA practice on May 28 about the addition of Nolen. 'He was on the other side of the SEC, so I never played against Walt. But I know he's going be a great player, great teammate. Like last week he brought everybody Epsom salts, the Dr. Teal's bag. So it just shows you he's a high-character young man and he's a really good teammate. So I'm excited to make some plays with him.' 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.
USA Today
10-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Arizona Cardinals sign 1st-round pick Walter Nolen to rookie contract
Arizona Cardinals sign 1st-round pick Walter Nolen to rookie contract Nolen gets a four-year deal with a fifth-year team option worth $19.3 million, fully guaranteed. The Arizona Cardinals, on the first day of mandatory minicamp, signed their 2025 first-round draft pick. They announced Tuesday that defensive lineman Walter Nolen III signed his rookie contract, a four-year deal with a fifth-year team option. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the deal is worth $19.3 million with a $10.7 million signing bonus. Contracts for first-round picks are fully guaranteed. With Nolen under contract, the Cardinals have signed all but one of their seven draft picks. The only one left unsigned is cornerback Will Johnson, their second-round pick. Second-round picks are trickier to sign because they often get guaranteed salaries but have to negotiate how much of the deal is guaranteed. First-round contracts are fully guaranteed. Players drafted in the third round and beyond don't typically get any guaranteed salary. Nolen was drafted 16th overall by the Cardinals out of Ole Miss. 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.
USA Today
03-06-2025
- General
- USA Today
Rookie DL Walter Nolen III has impressed Arizona Cardinals DC Nick Rallis so far
Rookie DL Walter Nolen III has impressed Arizona Cardinals DC Nick Rallis so far Nolen, the Cardinals' top draft pick, has shown exactly what he needs to so far this offseason. As the Arizona Cardinals progress through their offseason program, the coaches get to see how their rookie class handles preparing for their first NFL season. The Cardinals' first-round pick, defensive tackle Walter Nolen III, has shown defensive coordinator Nick Rallis what he should so far. Rallis, speaking to the media on Tuesday after the team's first practice of their final week of voluntary OTAs, noted he has been impressed with Nolen thus far. "I knew he was gonna be the talent that we saw on tape, but I would say he's very coachable, great to work with," Rallis said. "You see him take those coaching points immediately to the field, whether that's an individual or when going against the offense. And I can tell he studies hard outside the building because he's got things down pretty fast. So pretty impressive so far." Because full contact in practice is not allowed until training camp when pads go on, coaches never get a true gauge of how players in the trenches will do until then. All they can look at right now is preparation, the ability to process information and technique on the field. It would appear that Nolen is more than what he should be so far. That's all we can expect for now. 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.
