Aaron Lynch: “I really want to be a leader on this team”

San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker and edge rusher Aaron Lynch joined the Damon Bruce Show on 95.7 The Game to discuss how the season has gone so far.

Lynch was asked how the 49ers locker room is doing in the midst of a disastrous 1-12 season. "Everybody's doing good," Lynch said. "I can't really talk for a lot of people individually, but as far as what I see is that nobody is off track of what the mindset is. Yeah, we're 1-12. It is what it is but as far as how the spirits are, everybody is still in high spirits. Nobody likes losing. Nobody definitely wants to be anything where we are but as far as how the locker room is, everybody's still close together, happy."

Lynch has been dealing with a high ankle sprain and spoke a little bit about his health. "Obviously, I've been out a couple of games," he said. "More than a couple of games. The pain is still there. High ankle injuries – I never in my life thought that an ankle injury would have kept me out. I've had ankle injuries before but I never had a high ankle and I didn't know how severe they really were.

"But as far as how the process is going, I feel a lot better than I did last week. I still got to get treatment every day. There's still a little bit of nag but as far as how everything is going, it feels good. It kind of sucks to be hurt even with the record and how it's going, it really sucks because you just want to go out there and play football and have fun. It's a work in progress."

Lynch was asked about what has gone wrong defensively this season. "I feel like it's definitely the technique," he answered. "When we run the scheme the way it's supposed to be run, we're unstoppable. But it always comes down to technique."

"We've missed tackles," Lynch continued. "We've been out of our assignment more than a few times. That's really what has been hurting us. We've been really hurting ourselves. The scheme – I feel like it's a great scheme. Jim O'Neil lets us go. He doesn't hold us back. He lets us go so it really just comes down to the technique and just doing everything the right way."

Lynch also discussed how impressed he has been with rookie defensive lineman DeForest Buckner. "I see a freak of nature (when I look at him)," Lynch said. "I thought I was big for my position, but he's massive. He can play. the kid's a baller. He's young. Like everybody their rookie year – not everybody is going to be a straight out Pro Bowler. In the future, next year, the years after that, I feel like he's definitely on the right track to become one of the best players, one of the best d-lineman in 49ers history and in the NFL. He's a great player. He's a great person to be around. He's always in high spirits. I don't think I've ever seen him really mad as far as when he wants to go after somebody. He's just an awesome all around person and player."

Lynch was asked about taking on more of a leadership role with the team in the future. "I know this year, I really wanted to take on that role," he said. "But obviously, I got into a little trouble in the beginning this season and I've been out all these weeks because of an ankle injury. I really want to be a leader on this team and they way you do that – you've got to do everything the right way and by the looks of things, I haven't done everything the right way just for the fact that I got myself suspended for the first few games of the year. That's hard."

Does Lynch believe that head coach Chip Kelly will return to the 49ers next year? "I think for sure," Lynch answered. "The NFL works the way it works. I have no say on who's going to say and who's not going to stay."

Lynch said that if it were his decision, Kelly would be back. "I love Coach Chip," he said. "He's a great person. He's a great guy. I think he does great things. Like I said, these games, we've beaten ourselves out of these games. I don't think it has anything to do with the coaches really. We've beaten guys in the beginning of the game and then we kind of get out of our technique at the end of the game. I don't think anybody gives up but we give the game away because we shoot ourselves in the foot.

"I think Chip will still be here. I want him to be here. I know a lot more guys feel the same way. Chip is a godo guy. He does great things for us. So, I believe he'll be here."

You can listen to the entire interview on 95.7 The Game.