By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – The New Orleans Saints returned to the practice field this week for the first time since news broke on the pay for performance bounty scandal that cost the team its head coach for the entire 2012 season.

In addition to not having head coach Sean Payton, the Saints will also, for the first time since 2005, be without starting quarterback Drew Brees as a stalemate in long-term contract talks continues. Some reports say there has been very little progress in forging a new deal that will keep Brees a Saint for likely the rest of his career.

Although it seems like it might be time to panic over the idea that Brees is not an official member of the Saints, many in the River Parishes seem to be staying patient, according to results of last week’s L’Observateur online poll.

More than 32 percent of those who responded said the process would work itself out. Others, however, are not as patient and either lay blame on the team or Brees himself, but few believe that the delay will lead him to not signing at all.

A complete breakdown of results is as follows:

• 25 percent of respondents chose “Brees is being too greedy.”

• 32 percent of respondents chose “Let the process work itself out.”

• 26 percent of respondents chose “The team is being too stubborn.”

• 18 percent of respondents chose “The delay has me worried he won’t sign.”