The New Orleans Saints didn't have a salary-cap problem. They had a 7-9 problem.

The Saints were never more disappointed or frustrated during the Sean Payton-Mickey Loomis-Drew Brees era than last year, when just about every unit on the team underachieved. And they vowed they weren't going to grow stale gracefully.

That's why all options were on the table -- including Tuesday's stunning trade of tight end Jimmy Graham and a fourth-round draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks for two-time Pro Bowl center Max Unger and a first-round pick.

Graham, 28, signed a groundbreaking, four-year, $40 million contract last summer and was one of the most talented players on the Saints' roster -- and maybe in franchise history. But Graham also underachieved as much as anyone on the team last season, practically vanishing during the final five games as the Saints blew a golden opportunity to salvage their season.

"We're not just gonna patch a few holes here and throw the ball out there next year," Payton promised after the season.

He wasn't messing around. The Saints also released linebacker Curtis Lofton and running back Pierre Thomas last week. More moves are possible, including the possible release of six-time Pro Bowl guard Jahri Evans.

The Saints didn't make these moves purely for financial reasons, even though they started out last week roughly $23 million over the cap. In fact, they actually added more than $2 million to their 2015 cap with the latest trade, when you factor in Unger's salary and the dead money on Graham's deal.

No, this was a football decision -- as shocking as it might be on the surface.

Ultimately, I think Payton was frustrated by Graham's inconsistent production. Yes, Graham had to fight through a shoulder injury. And he came up big from Weeks 8-12 -- but the Saints expected that to be the norm.

Instead, Graham fizzled down the stretch, catching a total of 20 passes for 219 yards and one touchdown in the final five games. That included a career-high three dropped passes in an ugly loss to Carolina and a controversial goal-line fumble in a season-killing loss to Atlanta. All season long, defenses seemed to force Graham to settle for check-down passes, taking away the downfield threat he brought earlier in his career. Graham averaged a career-low 10.5 yards per catch in 2014.

And the number that mattered most was 7-9 -- the Saints' record, even with Graham on the field. That gives them permission to try something else, especially considering they won a Super Bowl the year before Graham arrived.

So do I understand the move? Sure.

But do I like it? Not immediately.

For one thing, it's hard to give the Saints the benefit of the doubt at a time when they're trying to reverse some of the bold moves they made last year. (They also reportedly tried to trade outside linebacker Junior Galette after signing him to a four-year, $41 million extension last September.) This doesn't feel like part of a master plan as much as it feels like throwing out the playbook and writing a new one in the dirt.

Maybe the Saints will redefine their offense after adding a power-blocker such as Unger and ponying up to re-sign running back Mark Ingram. And I still trust Payton's offensive mind more than most any in the NFL.

But defenses used to fear what Payton could do with a unique weapon like Graham, who should have been part of the solution to the Saints' woes, not part of the problem.

Graham is a unique type of offensive player who helped make the Saints one of the most special offenses in NFL history in 2011. I ran out of breath last summer arguing why Graham's salary should rank among those of top 10 pass-catchers in the league. And the Saints sure didn't look the same last year after dumping another unique weapon in Darren Sproles, whom I believed was even more replaceable.

Furthermore, I'm skeptical as to the effect this offseason shake-up will have on the rest of the team.

Top cornerback Keenan Lewis certainly hasn't reacted well. He was so thrown off by the flurry of moves that he vowed to skip OTAs and minicamp if he doesn't get the rest of his contract guaranteed, as he feels unsecure and unhappy watching so many veteran teammates get cut.

Brees told the NFL Network of the Graham trade: "I'm as shocked as everyone else. I love the guy."

Brees didn't complain too vocally last year when the Saints traded Sproles, but he made it clear that it was a move that hit him harder than most. This could have a similar effect.

The Saints aren't in a full-on rebuilding mode, though. They did just give Brees some much-needed added protection up front with Unger. They also kept Brees' longtime go-to guy, Marques Colston. They're building around young receivers Brandin Cooks and Kenny Stills. They're working on a revamped defense, with Green Bay Packers cornerback Tramon Williams coming in for a visit. And now they have two first-round draft picks to work with.

The Saints decided they needed a new approach. Whether it was bold or desperate remains to be seen. But either way, it proved they weren't willing to just patch a few holes and throw the ball out there.

That's the price of 7-9.