It is important to understand that the 2011 CBA changed a lot for the NFL, its owners and the players. What made the 2011 CBA (and all that have followed) notable relative to the past was the introduction of a rookie salary cap, so to speak. Prior to then any player drafted in to the NFL was free to negotiate whatever deal that they wanted which, as you likely remember, led to some massive contracts (relative to the time) for players who had never taken a snap at the professional level.
As noted, that all changed since 2011.