One of the most eventful years in Buffalo Bills history ended with a stunning development on New Year's Eve, as head coach Doug Marrone decided to exercise an opt-out clause in his contract and terminate the deal.

Less than a week after Marrone coached the Bills (9-7) to their first winning record since 2004, he's gone. It's one wild, final twist to 2014 that leaves the Bills without a head coach -- or starting quarterback, in the wake of Kyle Orton's retirement.

So this means that the Bills are suddenly back to square one, right?

Not necessarily.

While Marrone's departure opens another hole the Bills must plug this offseason, it is by no means a catastrophic development that will send the team spiraling back into the AFC basement. Despite the Bills' improvement this season, Marrone's job security was already in question, especially after a Week 16 loss to the Oakland Raiders that knocked the Bills out of the playoffs for a 15th consecutive season.

If anything, this allows new owner Terry Pegula to completely reshuffle the deck and begin to put his fingerprints on his $1.4 billion investment. Instead of committing to Marrone this week and then figuring out his front-office situation later, Pegula can construct his organization in a more logical order.

Speculation has been that Pegula will bring in a new head of football operations; former Bills general manager Bill Polian is the most accomplished option for that role. If such a move is made, Pegula could allow decisions to trickle down from there.

Does president Russ Brandon stay with the team and potentially have a reduced role, or is he pushed out? What happens to general manager Doug Whaley and the scouting staff?

The answers to those questions will determine who hires the next head coach. After all, it makes more sense for new decision-makers in the front office to hire their own coach, as opposed to new executives being stuck with the hire of their predecessors.

The Bills will have a glut of options for their next head coach, with defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz and San Diego Chargers offensive coordinator Frank Reich, a former Buffalo QB, among the names the Bills could target.

It will be a shake-up, but one the Bills -- considered by many to be a team on the rise -- can withstand. Even with the cupboard bare at quarterback and defensive end Jerry Hughes entering free agency, this is still a roster that includes young receiver Sammy Watkins and three Pro Bowl defensive linemen. There's enough talent to attract one of the top candidates on the market.

How the Bills address their latest job opening remains to be seen, but as the team ends 2014 with a shocker, plenty of promise remains for 2015.