Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has been holding out of camp all summer and has taken to training in his favorite spot in Cabo to pass the time, and Hall of Fame back Marshall Faulk has been with him every step of the way.

Faulk says that Elliott is in great shape, but he is making sure that he is ready to actually play in games if and when the time comes in 2019:

“His fitness is great, but playing in games is different,” Faulk said via text message, according to Ed Werder of ESPN. “My job is to close that gap with putting him in active game situations. The only thing we can't simulate is the contact.”

Of course, at this point, we don't even know if Elliott will play at all this coming season, as Week 1 is less than two weeks away, and there doesn't appear to be any resolution in sight unless the Cowboys pay up:

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“The question is, are the Cowboys willing to have him miss games because they don't believe he should be the highest-paid RB?” said Faulk.

Agent Rocky Arceneaux represents both Elliott and Faulk.

Elliott has two years remaining on his current deal and is scheduled to make $3.9 million this season and $9.1 million in 2020, but he is obviously worried about his long-term security, especially considering he led the NFL in carries in two of his first three seasons.

The 24-year-old is coming off of a 2018 campaign in which he paced the league with 1,434 rushing yards, making the Pro Bowl as a result.