The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... It would be a surprise if Prater's contract holdout lasts into training camp. The team and Prater's agent, Frank Bauer, have been working on a multiyear deal, and the two sides are not far apart. "We're having discussions, and I'm sure he'll be here on time," HC John Fox said.

Diehards Line:There is a deadline. Prater and the Broncos have until July 16 to reach an agreement on a multiyear deal. Training camp opens with physicals and meetings July 25. The first two-a-day session will be July 26. Absent a long-term deal by July 16, Prater would have to play the 2012 season on the $2.654 million franchise tag. According to Post staffer Mike Klis, the Broncos' latest proposal would pay Prater more than $3 million per year. The NFL's ninth-highest paid kicker, Green Bay's Mason Crosby, has a deal that averages $2.95 million a year. The league's third-highest paid kicker, New England's Stephen Gostkowski, averages $3.4 million a year.