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5 Potential Replacements for Doug Marrone as Buffalo Bills Head Coach

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By @BZarp

5 Potential Replacements for Doug Marrone as Buffalo Bills Head Coach

Doug Marrone
David Butler II - USATODAY Sports

It was a shock for Buffalo Bills fans to see head coach Doug Marrone opt out of his contract after leading the team to its first winning season in a decade, and now the team is back on the coaching market. With the team under new ownership and rumors about Bill Polian becoming the team’s new president, it’s hard to know what direction the Bills will go, but here are five potential candidates to replace Marrone.

5. Darrell Bevell

Darrell Bevell
Mark J. Rebilas - USATODAY Sports

5. Darrell Bevell

Darrell Bevell
Mark J. Rebilas - USATODAY Sports

Bevell has spent the last four years as the offensive coordinator in Seattle, where it was his idea to draft Russell Wilson and his coaching that helped Wilson develop into one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the NFL. He'd be a first time head coach, but he's been a coordinator in the NFL for nearly a decade, and he has a great history of working with quarterbacks, which is obviously appealing to the Bills.

4. Mike Smith

Mike Smith
Dale Zanine - USATODAY Sports

4. Mike Smith

Mike Smith
Dale Zanine - USATODAY Sports

Many think Smith was unfairly let go by the Falcons after a 66-46 record in seven seasons, with four playoff appearances, including a trip to the NFC Championship Game in 2012. He has the head coaching experience that the Bills would love to have, although his specialty is on the defensive side of the ball, so he may not be able to provide the answers that Buffalo needs offensively.

3. Mike Shanahan

Mike Shanahan
Getty Images

3. Mike Shanahan

Mike Shanahan
Getty Images

If Shanahan wants to return to coaching after being away in 2014, the Bills would be lucky to have him. He was just 24-40 in four years with Washington, but he owns two Super Bowl rings and has been to the playoffs eight times in 20 seasons as a head coach. Shanahan is also the kind of keen offensive mind that the Bills could use and may actually be an upgrade over Doug Marrone.

2. Jim Schwartz

Jim Schwartz defensive coordinator
Raj Mehta - USATODAY Sports

2. Jim Schwartz

Jim Schwartz defensive coordinator
Raj Mehta - USATODAY Sports

Schwartz could mean a smooth transition for the Bills, which may be advantageous after their best season in a decade. He spent 2014 as Buffalo's defensive coordinator, so with him in command the Bills could expect to be as good defensively in 2015, if not better. He has been a head coach before, although he was 29-51 in five seasons with the Lions, which could hurt his chances of getting hired as Buffalo's head coach.

1. Frank Reich

Frank Reich
Robert Hanashiro - USATODAY Sports

1. Frank Reich

Frank Reich
Robert Hanashiro - USATODAY Sports

Reich spent 10 years in Buffalo as a player and the fan base would love to have him back as the head coach, especially since he's a potential target of other teams with a head coach opening. Reich could obviously be beneficial to whomever ends up being Buffalo's quarterback next season, and he does have a previous relationship with Bill Polian, so there's a real chance Reich ends up the next head coach of the Bills.

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