Aiyuk embracing 49ers coaching role while continuing ACL rehab

SANTA CLARA — The 49ers have not provided any kind of estimate for when wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk could be available to return to action.Aiyuk sustained tears to the ACL and MCL in his right knee in an Oct. 20 game against Kansas City. He underwent surgery three weeks later to allow for the swelling to subside.While he continues to take part in daily physical therapy at 49ers headquarters, Aiyuk also has assumed a quasi-coaching role in meetings alongside position coach Leonard Hankerson."Those are things he hasn't seen from his perspective," Hankerson said of Aiyuk. "He's seen it from a player's perspective. But sitting in that meeting room now, I've said to him, 'Brandon, you can be in here and be my coach, you can be my assistant.'"And he loves that because he can coach up the guys and he helps big-time with that. So just mentally, it's been one of the biggest things for him."Aiyuk, 26, has far more experience in coach Kyle Shanahan's system than any of the other wide receivers in the room.Demarcus Robinson has been in the NFL since 2016. He signed with the 49ers after six seasons in Kansas City, one in Baltimore and the past two with the Los Angeles Rams.Ricky Pearsall and...