Last month we started looking at last season’s statistics for position players in fantasy football land, and today we’ll look at a position many often overlook. That’s fantasy defenses, which can sometimes put up just enough points to earn your team a victory once in a while. It’s always smart to try and grab one of the top units, although as we’ve seen before, things change, sometimes drastically, from year to year with fantasy D’s. Me? I like to grab my defense before my kicker. This list is based on point totals from one of my leagues, so keep in mind that stats vary from year to year.

1. Baltimore Ravens—The Ravens’ defense is perennially awesome, and we’ll find out for sure how much of that was due to former coordinator Rex Ryan, who is now the head honcho for the Jets. Ryan took plenty of players with him too, like LB Bart Scott and S Jim Leonhard, but the Ravens still have Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Terrell Suggs. Reed just keeps getting better every year, and his sick nose for the ball is one reason the Ravens had a league high 26 picks. They will keep scoring low as always, but their 34 sacks last season isn’t much to get excited about. Bottom line: The Ravens won’t be a number one this year, but are still top 10.

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It appears that the Baltimore Ravens were finally able to sign their most productive defensive player to a new contract, as reports state that linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs has agreed to a six-year, $63 million deal. He’ll also make $38 million in guaranteed money and will be paid $40 million in the first two years.

That’s a lot of dinero for one player (he’s now the NFL’s richest linebacker), but Suggs is worth it. He’s proven to be a force in the Ravens’ front seven and his versatility is unquestioned. His ability to get after the quarterback makes him incredibly valuable to the Baltimore defense and at only 26, he still has a ton of good years left.

What’ll be interesting to see unfold this year is how the Ravens do without the underrated Bart Scott, who signed a free agent deal with the Jets earlier this offseason. Scott didn’t get the attention Suggs and Ray Lewis did, but he was incredibly productive and a sound player on Baltimore’s defense. Of course, one could make the argument that a lot of plays were flushed his way because of the attention that offenses paid to Suggs and Lewis, but that doesn’t take away from Scott’s production.

With Suggs and Lewis back in the fold, the Ravens’ defense will once again be solid. But there will be a ton of pressure on youngster Tavares Gooden to step up and fill the void left by Scott.

ESPN is reporting that Ravens linebacker Bart Scott signed a six-year deal worth $48 million with the New York Jets.

According to the Baltimore Sun, the Jets’ deal with free agent linebacker Bart Scott is not official as initially reported, and now the Ravens are apparently offering him a five-year contract worth $42 million.

Ravens inside linebacker Bart Scott is in New York, but continues to still negotiate with both the Ravens and Jets.

There is speculation that the Ravens have offered Scott a five-year contract worth $42 million, and Scott also wants assurances that he will become the center piece of the defense in Baltimore, much like Ray Lewis was during the last decade.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan, the Ravens’ former defensive coordinator, keeps increasing the ante as the Ravens go up.

Several sources reported that the Jets’ deal for Scott was already completed, but apparently it was just an offer. It’s easy to see why Scott would sign with the Jets considering Rex Ryan is now New York’s new head coach, but apparently the Ravens are still very much in play.

Ray Lewis might walk, so losing Scott would be a huge blow to the Ravens’ linebacker corps. It’ll be interesting to see how this thing plays out.

One of the small notions when it comes to the NFL offseason is never to sign a free agent defender from the Baltimore Ravens. Because usually once they get out of the Ravens’ 3-4 defensive scheme, they never live up to their high free agent billing. (See Ed Hartwell for just one example.)

But considering the man that ran the Ravens’ defense for the better part of a decade is now the head coach for the New York Jets, it was probably safe to take the chance on Baltimore free agent linebacker Bart Scott.

Click here for six observations on Super Bowl XLIII.

Lucifer himself might as well have created the Monday after Super Bowl Sunday.

Is that extreme? No.

The Monday after the Super Bowl signals the end of another NFL season and that means there is no football on the horizon unless you’re one of the 10 people that watches the Pro Bowl. There are seven months between now and the start of preseason games, which makes me sick to think about. If I could freeze myself for the next seven months and thaw just in time for the 2009 season, I would.

Is that extreme? No.

But fear not my football friends because even though there isn’t any football this Sunday, it doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to get excited about while looking ahead. Below are 10 things to look forward to now that the Super Bowl is over. (And so that you don’t have to freeze yourself for the next seven months.)

Before you read on, realize that I’m not going to copout and write about how free agency and the draft are things to look forward to. Of course they are, but let’s get more specific here, people.

The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the Dallas Cowboys might possibly be interested in linebacker Ray Lewis, who becomes a free agent this offseason.

Word around the NFL is that the Dallas Cowboys are very interested in obtaining Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis if he becomes a free agent. The speculation is that the Cowboys are willing to give Lewis a three-year deal worth between $27 and $30 million, with $25 million guaranteed.

Dallas owner Jerry Jones believes his team is in the serious hunt for a Super Bowl title next season, and that Lewis could help solve some of the team’s problems inside the locker room.

The Ravens are expected to begin negotiations with Lewis, who is in the last year of his contract, as soon as the season is over. Fellow linebackers Bart Scott and Terrell Suggs are also in the final years of their contracts.

Suggs’ decision to play against the Steelers was a courageous one. Oh, and by the way, he happened to come up with two big sacks.

If the Cowboys are willing to dole out upwards of $30 million to acquire Lewis than the Ravens might have to let him walk. Scott is highly underrated and Suggs is one of the premier pass-rushers in the league. Both players are also younger (Scott is 28, Suggs is 26) than Lewis and Baltimore can’t afford to lose all three players.

It’ll be interesting to see whom the Ravens attempt to keep. Lewis is older, but he proved this year that he can still play at a high level and you can’t replace his leadership. Again though, Scott and Suggs are younger and are just as valuable (if not more valuable on the field) as Lewis.

The Ravens have some tough decisions this offseason.