The Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers, Oakland Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears and New York Jets are currently searching for a new head coach.  With a combined record of 37-75, it is crucial that these teams select the right leader.

There’s many candidates hoping to fill one of these voids. Let’s take a look who would be the best fit for each team.

Atlanta Falcons – After going 10-22 during their last two seasons, the Falcons decided to part ways with Mike Smith. He spent the past seven seasons in Atlanta, where he accumulated a record of 66-46.

However, the final straw came last Sunday when Atlanta was embarrassed by Carolina 34-3. The decision wasn’t easy for owner Arthur Blank.

“I would tell you that probably including my 23 years at Home Depot, this was the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make,” Blank said in a statement. “And I mean that very sincerely. It was complicated by the deepest respect that I had, we all had, for Smitty.”

As the Falcons move forward, the perfect guy for the job is former Jets head coach Rex Ryan. Atlanta ranked dead last in yards allowed per game (398.2) and 25th in points allowed (26.1).

Defense has never been an issue for a Ryan coached ball club. For example, even though New York finished 4-12 this season, their defense still ranked sixth in the league. The problem during Ryan’s tenure came at the most important position on the field.

If you gave Ryan an above average quarterback in New York, then he probably wins a Super Bowl. This is why Atlanta would be an ideal situation because they already have an established quarterback in Matt Ryan and an elite receiver in Julio Jones.

Adding the presence of Ryan alone should make Atlanta a better defensive team. He’ll just have to evaluate the personnel and get the guys to buy into his system, which should be the easy part.

San Francisco 49ers – After ‘mutually parting’ ways with Jim Harbaugh, the San Francisco 49ers are looking to make a splash with their next head coaching hire.

One name that would bring instant credibility is Mike Shanahan. The 62-year-old has won three Super Bowls, two as a head coach and one as an offensive coordinator in Denver.

Shanahan already has ties within the 49ers organization, as he was the offensive coordinator in San Francisco from 1992 to 1994.

The potential future Hall of Famer took this past season off to clear his mind from football. Now may be the time to make a return.

Oakland Raiders – There’s no franchise more unstable than the Raiders. Ever since going to the Super Bowl in 2001, the team has had eight different head coaches.

Oakland has Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, 49ers tight end coach Eric Mangini and Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles on their radar, but the right man for the job may already be there.

Although Sparano went 3-9 after taking over earlier in the season, the team responded well to him and rookie quarterback Derek Carr showed signs of potentially being the future. He threw 21 touchdowns to go along with 3,270 passing yards.

The Raiders are looking for someone with experience and Sparano has that after spending nearly four years with the Miami Dolphins, where he had a record of 29-32.

There’s no doubt Sparano wants to stick around long-term. 

“All I want to do right now is be the head coach of the Raiders,” he told ESPN. “How badly? Very, very badly. This is my team. I left my team today. I’m looking forward to starting over again with them. Those decisions will be made down the road. I only have one concern now and that’s to be head coach of the Oakland Raiders.”

New York Jets – It’s finally a new era in Jets land. After spending the past six seasons with Rex Ryan, the franchise is in dire need of a new leader.

Since the team already has a talented defensive core, it’s probably best for them to look for a more offensive minded head coach. A good fit here would be Ravens offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak. He already has coaching experience, as he spent eight seasons in Houston, compiling a record of 61-64, while going to the playoffs twice.

However, if New York really wants Kubiak, they may have to wait until after the Ravens’ playoff run. 

“I’ve told you guys before, I’m consumed with what I’m doing,” Kubiak told the Baltimore Sun. “It’s not time for stuff like that. I talked to John [on] Monday morning and I told John, ‘If anybody wants to talk to me, tell them no.’ I’m a busy man right now. I have a lot to do.

“I think it’s always flattering as a coach to be mentioned by any organization in football, but no, my total focus is on our football team and trying to enjoy what I’m doing right now.”

Buffalo Bills – Doug Marrone unexpectedly opted out of his contract this past week, leaving Buffalo scrambling to find his replacement.

However, the process may be a lot easier than expected. Current defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz should be promoted to head coach. Schwartz was the Lions’ head coach for five seasons, where he went a dreadful 29-51. Yes, that record is alarming, but Bills players love Schwartz and that’s worth something.

When defensive tackle Kyle Williams was asked about possibility of keeping Schwartz, he had an interesting response.

“I’m chaining him up to a car in this parking lot,” he told Syracuse.com

Veteran linebacker Brandon Spikes spoke highly of Schwartz as well.

“Absolutely. He did a great job when he went out to Detroit,” Spikes added. “I think he changed the atmosphere around out there and I’m sure he could do it again. He had a lot of success here and it’s been fun playing with him.”

In his first season as Bills defensive coordinator, the team allowed just 18.1 points per game, which ranked fourth in the league.

Chicago Bears – This proud organization desperately needs to put a winner on the field as soon as possible. The Bears haven’t won a Super Bowl in 30 years and they haven’t seen postseason play in four years.

Marc Trestman’s tenure in Chicago only lasted two seasons, where he piled up a 13-19 record, with a 5-11 record this past season.

While everyone tends to point the finger at Jay Cutler, the main concern is Chicago’s defense. Chicago allowed 27.6 points per game this year, which ranked dead last in the league and they gave up 377.1 yards per game.

One guy capable of fixing their defensive problems is Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. We always hear about Richard Sherman and the ‘Legion of Doom,’ but we barely hear about the impact Quinn has made on them.

Quinn was brought in last year, which played a part in Seattle’s Super Bowl run. He has a history of coaching the defensive side of the ball. Quinn was the defensive line coach for the 49ers, Dolphins and Jets.

As the offseason approaches,these six franchises are faced with making one of the most critical decisions as they try to head into a successful new era.