CINCINNATI -- At first, Ja'Marr Chase thought it was a joke when he got a call from fellow Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins with the biggest news of the week.

But after a follow-up call from coach Zac Taylor, it was clear Higgins was serious. Cincinnati had indeed traded for Joe Flacco to be the team's new starting quarterback.

The move comes amid the Bengals' three-game losing streak and a stretch of ineffective offensive performances. With Jake Browning starting for the injured Joe Burrow , Cincinnati failed to muster more than three points in the first three quarters of each recent loss.

By trading for Flacco, Chase said it's a sign of the belief the franchise still has for this season.

"They just see that we've got a chance," Chase said on Thursday. "Defense

See Full Page