The defensive line is officially complete for the Cardinals, after getting the one still-unsigned piece signed on Tuesday.
First-round draft pick Walter Nolen III inked his rookie contract, a four-year deal with a team option for the 2029 season, a couple of hours before the Cardinals had their first mandatory minicamp practice.
The deal is worth a reported $19.3 million with a signing bonus of $10.7M.
It leaves only second-round pick Will Johnson unsigned. That isn't unusual, with a majority of second-round picks still left to do their deals as negotiations over guaranteed money in the round have become a sticking point.
But Johnson has been at voluntary work and will be at minicamp, as will Nolen – who was taken to pair with 2024 first-rounder Darius Robinson to anchor the Cardinals' interior defensive line for the near future.
After two seasons at Texas A&M, Nolen transferred to Mississippi and had a breakout season, totaling six sacks and 25 QB hurries, as well as a Pro Football Focus run defense grade of 91.6. He still will have to work to earn snaps on a line that also has Robinson, Calais Campbell, Dalvin Tomlinson, Justin Jones, L.J. Collier, Dante Stills and Bilal Nichols.
The Cardinals hold minicamp practices Tuesday through Thursday and then are off until training camp begins in late July.
