It’s not often that a team in danger of losing a top level starter via free agency is able to preemptively strike to fill that potential hole three weeks before it even opens up, but that’s exactly what the Chiefs were able to do this afternoon, locking up free agent cornerback Stanford Routt to a three year deal, worth an estimated $19.6 million.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to break the story, followed shortly thereafter by Jason LaCanfora of NFL.com with the overall numbers from the deal.

Routt will almost certainly line up opposite of fellow cornerback Brandon Flowers, giving the Chiefs a solid one-two punch to shut down opposing wide receivers.

The move will likely spell the end of free agent to be Brandon Carr’s tenure in Kansas City though, and while he’s expected to receive a massive payday on the open market, losing him will be tough for Chiefs fans to swallow, as he’s been a solid playmaker in the secondary throughout the entirety of his young career.

The Chiefs won out on Routt’s services over competing offers from the Bengals and the Bills.