Oct 28, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Stanford Routt (26) lines up against the Oakland Raiders in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Oakland won the game 26-16. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-US PRESSWIRE

The Detroit Lions have received better than expected play from their cornerback this year but that doesn’t mean they will be content to stand pat when a potential upgrade is available.

That has always been Martin Mayhew’s style so it is no wonder the Lions have been linked to Stanford Routt, now a free agent after being released by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Word broke yesterday that the Detroit Lions were one of at least three teams to show interest in Routt. The latest news provides evidence that the interest is mutual. From NFL insider Adam Caplan:

Veteran CB Stanford Routt, who was waived earlier this week by the Kansas City Chiefs, is scheduled to visit the Detroit Lions on Friday, an NFL source confirmed.

Even if the visit goes well and both sides remain interested, it is extremely unlikely that a deal would come this week. Pro Football Talk reported yesterday that Routt had a meeting scheduled with an NFC team this week, which we now know to be the Lions, and an AFC team on Monday. More so, a roster move is not in the Lions best interest with just two days before a game with the Minnesota Vikings.

September 23, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Stanford Routt (26) intercepts a pass in front of New Orleans Saints wide receiver Devery Henderson (19) during the third quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Chiefs defeated the Saints 27-24 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE

The Detroit Lions have received better than expected play from their cornerbacks but that doesn’t mean the position should be considered settled. That’s why the Kansas City Chiefs’ release of cornerback Stanford Routt is so intriguing.

Routt cleared waivers and is now a free agent. According to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, the Lions are one of at least three teams showing interest with the Cardinals and Dolphins as the other two mentioned.

The Lions don’t have much room under the salary cap but it isn’t likely that Routt is looking for big money at this point. He may not have survived the first year of this three-year deal with the Chiefs but he still received a $4 million signing bonus. At this point, it makes more sense for Routt to pursue the place where he is most likely to succeed and that very well could be with the Lions.

One thing the Lions have to offer is playing time. Routt may not have been performing at a high level but he was regarded as a possible upgrade over Eric Wright in the offseason and injuries have depleted the depth of cornerbacks on the Lions roster. At this point, Routt only needs to be better than a guy like Don Carey.

Of the three teams named above, the Lions are the most established of the three and could offer Routt the best chance of showcasing the skills he has remaining on a big stage. The rest of the season should be about damage control for Routt and the best way to regain a good reputation is to play well in meaningful games. Combine the possibility of a playoff appearance and three remaining games on national television and the only conclusion to draw is that the Lions offer the best opportunity.

Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Stanford Routt was able to hit the free agent market early as a result of his release earlier this month. He’ll get to face his old team, the Oakland Raiders, twice per year thanks to his new contract with the Kansas City Chiefs that was announced today.

Whether or not the Lions were ever interested is irrelevant at this point but Routt’s contract does give an early picture as to how the free agent market for cornerbacks will play out. Stanford Routt isn’t the top cornerback that will have a new home in 2012 so it is a good bet that someone, perhaps Brandon Carr who is likely now priced out of the Kansas City secondary, will sign a contract richer than the three-year, $19.6 million that the Chiefs agreed to with Routt.

All teams looking at free agent corners now have a player and price to use as a comparison. The Lions should be prepared to spend more than $19.6 million over three years if they are interested in pursuing Cortland Finnegan. With the Lions putting a priority on re-signing their own free agents, there is a real possibility that there won’t be any money to use to make a Schwartz-Finnegan reunion a reality.

The Chiefs’ signing of Routt makes for headlines in late February. Tom Lewand is on record as saying that the Lions are intent on making headlines in January and early February. The kind of headlines the Chiefs made today are the easy kind and mean nothing if the moves behind them don’t translate into the headlines that do mean something. With a limited budget the Lions may be forced to wait for the frenzy to die down and land a lesser name at a greater value.