Bills place CB Stephon Gilmore (shoulder) on season-ending IR

The Buffalo Bills will be forced to close out the season without their No. 1 cornerback. The team announced on Wednesday that they have placed Stephon Gilmore on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, ending his season early.

Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports is reporting that Gilmore is being placed on injured reserve because he's having surgery to repair a torn labrum.

CB Stephon Gilmore has been placed on on season-ending IR. DE Max Valles has been signed. pic.twitter.com/LMzAFVkzCG
— Buffalo Bills (@buffalobills) December 16, 2015

Gilmore, a free agent after the 2016 season, started 12 games this season, intercepting three passes and recording 18 passes defensed -- good for fifth in the NFL. He also made 36 tackles. To counteract the move, the Bills signed defensive end Max Valles.

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Fortunately, the Bills have another talented cornerback on the roster in rookie Ronald Darby. He leads the league with 21 passes defensed and has played extremely well in his first season. That's not to say the loss of Gilmore won't greatly hurt the secondary, but Darby's emergence will certainly help.