The only thing that might work for the players would be a mid-season walkout similar to what happened in baseball in 2004. Maybe after week 4, 5 or 6 of a regular season. Fans would be fully involved by that time (we would have several draft threads running already ) and you know how much we love our football. The fear of losing a season, postseason and SB might get the owners to talk. Short of that I don't know what the players could do.
The league will, IMO, give in quite a bit in terms of the powers of the commish. That's in their best interests, but, that alone won't get a deal done.