On Monday, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch shut down trade speculation surrounding Brandon Aiyuk, stating at the annual league meeting in Florida that the wide receiver is expected to remain with the team this year.
Aiyuk suffered ACL and MCL injuries on October 20 during a Week 7 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs and isn't expected to fully recover by the start of the 2025 season. Lynch provided an update on his recovery, stating that the wideout performed "very well" in a recent evaluation with Dr. ElAttrache. However, the general manager opted not to discuss any timelines.
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"He went down there to Dr. Neal ElAttrache last week," Lynch said, per Grant Cohn of Sports Illustrated. "I'm not going to get into timelines and all that, but he did very well. We're pleased with Brandon's progress. He has been working hard and has gotten good reviews from Dr. ElAttrache."
Lynch added, "He's working really hard to do so, and I expect fully that Aiyuk will be a part of us moving forward."
Regarding Aiyuk's recovery timeline, ESPN's Adam Schefter recently stated, "I would think he's ready to play by mid-season..."
Last year, San Francisco signed the veteran receiver to a four-year, $120 million contract extension. While some reports suggest the 49ers may have buyer's remorse, Lynch emphasized that "there's no regret" regarding the deal.
Trade rumors surrounding Aiyuk had been circulating for some time, even after the 49ers traded wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders. Lynch didn't dismiss the speculation when speaking to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine last month.
"You get calls, and you always listen to calls," Lynch said at the time.
San Francisco selected Aiyuk (6-0, 200) out of Arizona State with the 25th overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Last season, Aiyuk recorded 25 receptions for 374 yards with no touchdowns in seven starts with the 49ers, playing 76% of the offensive snaps before his injury, per Pro Football Reference.
Aiyuk, 27, has caught 294 passes for 4,305 yards and 25 touchdowns in 69 game appearances (67 starts) over five NFL seasons. Additionally, he has contributed 117 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns on 13 carries.