The reality is that the union knows they can’t hold a strike together because the players have too much to lose. A large percentage are not saving for catastrophes and aren’t prepared to lose game checks.
Further, the disparity between the top 10% that can afford it and the bottom 50% that can’t means that bottom 50% feels like they are losing money to line the pockets of the top guys.
The strike in 87 proved that fans root for laundry, not players. It isn’t something the NFL forgot.
So, the way it has worked the last few negotiations is that the NFL budges on things like the 5th year option in exchange for something the NFLPA gives up. Or the NFL gets something by giving something from the last contract up.
I believe the contract slotting for draftees was to the benefit of existing veterans. It shifted salary cap space from guys who never played to guys getting rewarded for their play. Wasn’t the fifth year option part of that negotiation?