CHICAGO – The Bears are definitely going through a rebuild, but that doesn't mean their roster is completely devoid of playmakers.

And while he isn't a household name, by any means, one of those playmakers is third-year tight end Cole Kmet.

Kmet hasn't blown anyone out of the water during his first two years in the NFL. However, he has flashed the proper traits and has shown that he is capable of having a solid career.

Those who pay close attention know how much potential Kmet has in his bag. That includes five-time Executive of the Year Scott Pioli.

Pioli appeared on the most recent episode of NFL Network's NFL Total Access and was asked which tight end he thought would have breakout year in 2022.

And sure enough, Pioli picked Kmet.

"The guy that I can't wait to see breakout -and I think he's going to break out soon- is Cole Kmet of the Chicago Bears," said Pioli. "I remember studying him thoroughly when he was coming out of Notre Dame…. And I tell ya, this guy has all the tools and is a complete tight end.

"Obviously, the situation in Chicago has been tough the last couple of years, but we're talking about a guy who is only 23-years-old [and is] going into his third NFL season. He's gotta new offensive coordinator in Luke Getsy … and a new quarterback in Justin Fields.

"So, to me, I believe he has all the tools, all the skills, all the intelligence, again, to be a complete tight end. Not only a pass-catcher, but a blocker. To me, he's one of the top young talents at the position in the league and I'm looking for him to breakout real soon."

There's basically one thing that can prevent Kmet from having a breakout season

On a team with limited receiving options, it's easy to see why Kmet should factor heavily into the passing attack.

However, the concerns with the Bears offensive line could place him more in a blocking role, at the end of the day.

The Bears have a lot of questions when it comes to their front five and it's anyone's guess to how effective the unit will be. It was one of the NFL's worst offensive lines in 2021 and while Ryan Poles brought in some new faces, they aren't Pro Bowl-caliber faces or anything of that matter.

There's also the consideration of how often the Bears want to run the ball. If the offensive line can't provide adequate pass protection, then Matt Eberflus and Getsy may decide to keep the ball on the ground in order to keep Justin Fields from getting hurt.

Per Pro Football Focus, Kmet stayed in to block on 43.4% of his snaps in 2021. 83% of his blocking snaps were in the run game, where Kmet is a solid blocker. The Bears are already using him in the run game, so Kmet could block even more in 2022 if the offensive line struggles.

Fields will also play a big role. But Fields showed a decent connection with Kmet in the 10 games Fields started in 2021. He targeted Kmet 5.2 times per game and connected for an 3.2 receptions per game that amassed 34.2 yards.

In other words: Fields will definitely look Kmet's way in 2022. If he isn't blocking with the line, of course.

If Kmet doesn't breakout in 2022, it likely won't be his fault. That's not pointing fingers, by any means. The Bears just need a lot of other components to work before Kmet can do his thing like Pioli says he will.

Featured image via Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports