If money wasn't an issue and you wouldn't have to give up draft picks (in the case of RFA's) or not have the ability to resign all your own FA's who is the 1 FA you would want and why.

For me it would have to be Henry Melton. At 26 he's still very young and was the most dominant interior pass rusher last year. His weakness is against the run but with Wilfork next to him and the 3 headed run stuffing beasts behind him that's not much of a concern. To me Melton would solidfy the line while drastically improving the secondary by reducing the average time a QB has to throw by almost a full sec. His value as a whole to me puts him over Byrd, Goldson, or Cruz for me

Joe Flacco

It's a tie between Dashon Goldson and Seymour...

Why in the world would you want a money grubbing geezer like Seymour?

In response to PatsEng's comment:

If money wasn't an issue and you wouldn't have to give up draft picks (in the case of RFA's) or not have the ability to resign all your own FA's who is the 1 FA you would want and why.

For me it would have to be Henry Melton. At 26 he's still very young and was the most dominant interior pass rusher last year. His weakness is against the run but with Wilfork next to him and the 3 headed run stuffing beasts behind him that's not much of a concern. To me Melton would solidfy the line while drastically improving the secondary by reducing the average time a QB has to throw by almost a full sec. His value as a whole to me puts him over Byrd, Goldson, or Cruz for me

Romeo Crennel

While I think DT is the greatest need, under the criteria given I'd go after Kruger.  He has such a great pass rush although NE might not use him that way.  I just don't think the DTs that are FA are the kind that would make a big impact for the Pats.

In response to nyjoseph's comment:

While I think DT is the greatest need, under the criteria given I'd go after Kruger.  He has such a great pass rush although NE might not use him that way.  I just don't think the DTs that are FA are the kind that would make a big impact for the Pats.

If Chandler Jones couldn't get to the QB with the same frequency as Kruger it's for three reasons; Haloti Ngata (6'4" 330 lbs), Ma'ake Kemoeatu (6'5'" 345 lbs) and Arthur Jones (6'3" 313 lbs) not to mention Terrence Cody coming off the bench at 6'4" 350 pounds.

I can't believe nobody but myself can see the disparity between the amount of pure mass the Ravens have across their front vs ours and how they led the post sason in sacks by almost double the next team (Redskins).

I'm not disagreeing with you.  But mass without some speed/agility only gets you so far.  Seymour clearly had it in his early years.  Now, not so much.

In response to nyjoseph's comment:

I'm not disagreeing with you.  But mass without some speed/agility only gets you so far.  Seymour clearly had it in his early years.  Now, not so much.

It's a popular notion around here that Seymour fell off the moment he became a Raider, this is mularky, his best seasons came as a Raider and beyond getting hurt last season he has had no dropoff in his performance.  His 6 sacks from the season prior (2011) was the third best total of his career.

He has been the most dominant, dependable defensive tackle of his generation and I'd like to see him retire a Patriot where it all began. Plus his addition would make a fearsome front; Wilfork, Seymour and Love/Armstead.

Seymour was playing well before going down in Week 8, notching 15 tackles and three sacks while grading out as a top-12 defensive tackle in Pro Football Focus ratings. Coming into 2012, Seymour had missed just four games since 2007.

Bleacher report disagrees that Seymour can't be more than a part time player and even insists that they should go out of their way to re-sign him.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1465752-richard-seymour-should-be-a-priority-for-the-oakland-raiders-to-re-sign

I don't see the drop off, and neither do they, obviously he's not as explosive as he was at 23 but find me a player who is.  What he lacks in explosiveness he more than makes up for in experience and leadership. 

He was an every down player for the Raiders before going down, was easily their best defensive lineman if not defensive player.  Through week 7 before he got hurt Seymour played 83% of the Raider's defensive snaps, does that sound like someone near the end, I don't think so. 

If the money is right and he simply wants to win, if he can put the past behind him we'd be lucky to have him. 

He is still a monster and frankly meaner than anyone we have along our line, I love that he punched Rapistburger in the head and put a nasty hit on Flacco that earned him a fine but it will be one the Raven's QB won't soon forget. 

I understand the hard feelings from some fans here but it's a business at the end of the day and this guy commands the respect of his peers and double teams by opposing O lines, even at his advanced age.  The thought here that he is washed up is baloney that the stats don't support, his tackle total is the only thing that dropped from his Pat's days to his Raider days which can easily be explained with the move from the two gap 3/4 to the upfield rush in the 4/3.  This guy is a leader and a Hall Of Fame talent at any age.

Seymour was playing well before going down in Week 8, notching 15 tackles and three sacks while grading out as a top-12 defensive tackle in Pro Football Focus ratings. Coming into 2012, Seymour had missed just four games since 2007.

Bleacher report disagrees that Seymour can't be more than a part time player and even insists that they should go out of their way to re-sign him.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1465752-richard-seymour-should-be-a-priority-for-the-oakland-raiders-to-re-sign

I don't see the drop off, and neither do they, obviously he's not as explosive as he was at 23 but find me a player who is.  What he lacks in explosiveness he more than makes up for in experience and leadership. 

He was an every down player for the Raiders before going down, was easily their best defensive lineman if not defensive player.  Through week 7 before he got hurt Seymour played 83% of the Raider's defensive snaps, does that sound like someone near the end, I don't think so. 

If the money is right and he simply wants to win, if he can put the past behind him we'd be lucky to have him. 

He is still a monster and frankly meaner than anyone we have along our line, I love that he punched Rapistburger in the head and put a nasty hit on Flacco that earned him a fine but it will be one the Raven's QB won't soon forget. 

I understand the hard feelings from some fans here but it's a business at the end of the day and this guy commands the respect of his peers and double teams by opposing O lines, even at his advanced age.  The thought here that he is washed up is baloney that the stats don't support, his tackle total is the only thing that dropped from his Pat's days to his Raider days which can easily be explained with the move from the two gap 3/4 to the upfield rush in the 4/3.  This guy is a leader and a Hall Of Fame talent at any age.