Of all the pundits that weigh in on the Bucs, John Lynch surely is among the most credible. The Bucs icon is a TV analyst for the team’s preseason games, and he spends time at practice and has an inside track to players and staff. Lynch also works some Bucs games for FOX.

Knowing what he knows, Lynch ranks the Bucs as the 26th best team in the NFL, per the Associated Press. Lynch can’t shake the demons from the Raheem Morris era.

John Lynch (Fox Sports, 26): Here’s hoping my former team makes me eat my words under new head coach Greg Schiano. I like Bucs’ talent, especially with additions of Vincent Jackson and Carl Nicks that will help QB Josh Freeman rebound. It’s hard to erase from my mind this team quitting last year. Attitude adjustment time in Tampa.

Among others surveyed, former NFL starts Cris Collinsworth and Rich Gannon had higher opinions of Tampa Bay; eye-RAH! Kaufman of The Tampa Tribune concurred with Lynch.

Rich Gannon (CBS Sports/SiriusXM NFL Radio, 22): From 4-12 to 8-8 in one season under Schiano.

Cris Collinsworth (NBC Sports, 22): Greg Schiano reminds me of coaches on the top of this list.

Ira Kaufman (Tampa Tribune, 26): Could feature eight new starters under first-year coach Greg Schiano.

Lynch’s pessimism synchs up with Warren Sapp’s contention that the Bucs have too far to go defensively in order to “contend.”

It’s hard to argue against. The Bucs should have a top-10 or top-12 offense assuming Mike Sullivan is a competent playcaller, but the defense is another story. There are so many legitimate question marks it’s impossible to be confident in the unit.