LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) -- Bears rookie quarterback Justin Fields had just a moment to himself after his first career NFL touchdown before his teammates swarmed him.
Tight end Cole Kmet was the first to reach Fields in the SoFi Stadium end zone Sunday night, leaping in the air for a chest bump. Then came H-back J.P. Holtz, who had sealed Fields' three-yard touchdown run as the lead blocker, patting him across the helmet. The entire offensive line met him there as well as the Bears fed off the first of what the organization envisions will be many Fields touchdowns.
Even in a limited role, Fields offers the Bears a different presence and dynamic at quarterback. They feel it already.
"J. Fields is special," running back David Montgomery said. "He already has a natural aura to himself that changes the flow of how things go."
That's why the Bears planned for Fields to have a small role early in his rookie season, even while serving as the team's backup quarterback. Coach Matt Nagy didn't tip his hand ahead of the regular-season opener on whether Fields would work into the offense, but the Bears began building their plan in training camp.
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The 22-year-old Fields took five snaps at quarterback in the Bears' 34-14 loss to the Rams on Sunday, going 2-of-2 for 10 yards while running for that three-yard score. His role is likely to increase as Nagy utilizes the dual-threat Fields perhaps like the Ravens once did with star quarterback Lamar Jackson.
In 2018, the Ravens used the rookie Jackson in a similar role during his first nine games. He was 7-of-12 for 87 yards and a touchdown while rushing 28 times for 139 yards and a score in that span. Then veteran quarterback Joe Flacco suffered a hip injury, and Jackson never relinquished his starting spot, running with the opportunity and winning MVP a year later in 2019.
In formulating Fields' role, the Bears are balancing their dual goals of developing him behind veteran starter Andy Dalton while also utilizing his dynamic talent to change the game. Nagy sees it as walking a fine line.
"You got to be to a point where you're careful with the success or failure that you have with those plays," Nagy said. "Because if you put him in and it's one play, depending on how it goes, you don't want multiple plays of it not being good because it could mess with their mentality. If you have positive plays and you have a touchdown like he had and it helps the team, then those are good because it's a building block for him to get under the lights.
"It is different when you're in the NFL and you get a little bit of that and you take those first snaps, it helps you out. So I think there's growth for him on the side, but I also think it helps our offense."
For his part, the 33-year-old Dalton maintained it "doesn't affect me at all" when Fields is inserted in his place for a play. Veteran receiver Marquise Goodwin, who caught Fields' first pass Sunday, said he wasn't even aware the Bears had switched out Dalton on the play. Center Sam Mustipher described the change as like a new receiver rotating in.
As the play-caller, Nagy explained he must be mindful of keeping Fields unpredictable when steps onto the field. That means utilizing him as both a runner and a passer. Fields' touchdown run was a run-pass option, and he saw an opening on the boundary.
Fields stayed fresh for his plays by throwing on the sidelines, stretching his legs between snaps and repeating plays called out by Nagy.
“However my role plays out, I am going to be here for the team," Fields said. Whatever this team and coach Nagy need me to do to help us win, I am going to do.”
It's clear now the Bears aren't actually following the 2017 Chiefs' blueprint at quarterback, with Kanas City having then-rookie Patrick Mahomes sit on the bench and develop behind entrenched starter Alex Smith. Instead, the Bears appear hopeful to replicate what the 2018 Ravens accomplished with Jackson.
For now, it's a small role for Fields, one the Bears hope can lead to major success once his time comes.
"We know he's the future of this team," Nagy said. "We understand that.
"Every snap he gets, it helps him for the future."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.