Walter Nolen injury robs Bengals fans of Week 17 look at what could've been

Despite a fun victory over the Miami Dolphins, we will be in full evaluation mode when the Cincinnati Bengals face the Arizona Cardinals in Week 17.

While our focus will obviously be on the Men in Stripes, there is one Cardinals player that Cincy fans were looking forward to seeing up close.

Unfortunately, that was sadly taken off the table.

Arizona defensive tackle Walter Nolen suffered a non-contact injury on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. And while that was bad enough, his reaction to what transpired was heartbreaking. 

Now, a player that many in Cincinnati have been talking about for missing out on in the draft (among several others) will be absent when the Bengals take on the Cardinals this Sunday. 

Nolen flashed star potential in shortened rookie season

However, he has been a difference maker for Arizona’s defense since he made his professional debut against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 9.

The rookie was an impressive tour force of nature on the interior of the Cardinals’ defensive line. One that the Bengals could have used this season. 

Nolen had one of the highlights of the season when he intercepted Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence for a touchdown. 

Now, Nolen’s season is, more than likely, over, robbing Cardinals and Bengals fans of getting to watch him play out the rest of a meaningless season for both franchises. 

Injuries piling up for Cardinals ahead of Bengals matchup

Nolen’s NFL career got off to an inauspicious start when he landed on the PUP list before the season began. After making his debut, Nolen appeared in only four games before suffering a knee injury that cost him another two games. 

In just Nolen’s second week back after missing two games, he looked to suffer a catastrophic injury on Sunday. The rookie defensive tackle was inconsolable as he was taken off on a cart, clearly sobbing while a member of the Cardinals’ training staff tried, sans success, to console him. 

Having his rookie season cut short after just getting his feet under him only adds to his frustration and heartbreak. 

This situation, along with others, is prompting tough questions that Cardinals head coach Johnathan Gannon would prefer not to address. 

Along with Nolen, Arizona lost starting cornerback Garrett Williams to an Achilles injury and had to be carted off earlier in the game against the Falcons. 

Injuries, while always bad, are significantly worse this time of year. Depending on the final prognosis of Nolen’s injury, it could cost him a significant portion of his 2026 season. 

Nolen was a popular first-round possibility among some Bengals fans

Heading into the 2026 NFL Draft, Bengals fans were looking for their favorite team to select reinforcements for the defense in general, and along the defensive line in particular. And while options were plentiful, the fanbase settled on two possibilities: Walter Nolen and linebacker Jihaad Campbell. 

For us unprofessional scouts, the Bengals needed to address the interior of the defensive line with fresh talent. Nolen’s ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks and play well against the run was appealing. 

Unfortunately, we never got the chance to see whether the Bengals would have selected Nolen, as the Cardinals swooped in to draft him one pick before the Bengals were on the clock. 

Also regrettable was Cincinnati's passing on Campbell, who landed with the Philadelphia Eagles. 

The Bengals went to select defensive end Shemar Stewart, who was, perhaps, just as unpopular a choice as Nolen would have been popular. 

While we saw a few matchups featuring draft misses this season, none would have gotten our attention like watching Nolen and Stewart play in the same game.  

Bengals fans miss out on intriguing rookie-on-rookie matchup

The Nolen injury also deprives us of a rookie matchup that would have pitted Bengals' guard Dylan Fairchild against the young defensive tackle sensation. 

While Fairchild has proved to be a third-round gem and positive piece along the offensive line moving forward, it would have been nice to watch an interior-line matchup that would have captivated Bengals fans who are into the draft. 

A guard-defensive tackle matchup would not be enticing under normal circumstances for the average fan. But with both teams out of playoff contention, it would have been the best matchup from an evaluation standpoint.

Cruel irony strikes Bengals as matchup against Walter Nolen disappears

Ironically, the Bengals were one week away from seeing Nolen up close and one pick away from possibly acquiring the young defensive tackle. 

Now, like after the draft, all we can do as Bengals fans is hope from afar that Nolen, like all players, has a fast and complete recovery.

We also hope both teams will exit their Week 17 matchup in better shape than the Cardinals were after their loss to the Falcons on Sunday. 

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