Packers defensive rookies have achieved something that hadn't been done since Clay Matthews and BJ Raji

The Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) has announced on Tuesday their rookie awards for the 2024 season. Quarterback Jayden Daniels and edge defender Jared Verse as the rookies of the year, but the Green Bay Packers have also good reasons to be extremely hopeful about their future.

Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and safety Evan Williams both made the All-Rookie Team.

The Packers hadn't had a rookie making the list since Quay Walker in 2022, and hadn't had two players on the same year since Elgton Jenkins and Darnell Savage did it in 2019.

But the most impressive part is that the last time two Packers defensive players made the All-Rookie Team in the same year was in 2009, when Clay Matthews and BJ Raji did it. Then, the Packers had two first-round picks, and both players had immediate impact.

This time around, it's even more impressive because Cooper is a second-round pick, and Evan Williams was a fourth-rounder.

In Matthews and Raji's second season, the Packers won Super Bowl XLV.

The PFWA has honored an All-Rookie team every season since 1974. Only players who are in their first season of pro football are designated as rookies by the NFL and are eligible for PFWA rookie awards. Players designated as NFL first-year players who have been active in another pro football league or who have NFL experience, including preseason training camp in a previous season, are not eligible for All-Rookie awards.

2024 PFWA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

Offense

• QB – Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
• RB – Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Tyrone Tracy Jr., New York Giants
• WR – Malik Nabers, New York Giants; Brian Thomas Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
• TE – Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders
• C – Zach Frazier, Pittsburgh Steelers
• G – Jackson Powers-Johnson, Las Vegas Raiders; Dominick Puni, San Francisco 49ers
• T – Joe Alt, Los Angeles Chargers; Roger Rosengarten, Baltimore Ravens

Defense

• DL – Jonah Elliss, Denver Broncos; Braden Fiske, Los Angeles Rams; Laiatu Latu, Indianapolis Colts; T’Vondre Sweat, Tennessee Titans
• LB – Edgerrin Cooper, Green Bay Packers; Chop Robinson, Miami Dolphins; Jared Verse, Los Angeles Rams
• CB – Cooper DeJean, Philadelphia Eagles; Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles
• S – Calen Bullock, Houston Texans; Evan Williams, Green Bay Packers

Special Teams

• PK – Cam Little, Jacksonville Jaguars
• P – Ryan Rehkow, Cincinnati Bengals
• KR – Jordan Whittington, Los Angeles Rams
• PR – Brandon Codrington, Buffalo Bills
• ST – Sione Vaki, Detroit Lions