Head coach Kyle Shanahan has already confirmed that Aiyuk won't be ready for the start of training camp, which begins for veterans on July 22. While the chances of the star receiver suiting up for the Week 1 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on September 7 appear slim, one 49ers insider says the possibility isn't being completely dismissed.
"I hear he's doing really well," NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco said Thursday during an interview on KNBR. "I hear that the knee is even ahead of schedule."
That aligns with what general manager John Lynch has said throughout the offseason, often noting that elite athletes like Aiyuk tend to recover more quickly than expected.
"From what I understand, he's doing really well," Maiocco reiterated. "Also, from what I understand, is it's not out of the question that he could be ready Week 1."
Still, Maiocco believes the 49ers will take a conservative approach given the severity of Aiyuk's knee injury, making a delayed season debut more likely.
"They want to be extra cautious with him," Maiocco explained. "Even though the timeline, everything being equal, might point toward, hey, there's a chance Week 1, and there still might be a chance Week 1, I think the feeling inside the organization has always been don't take any chances, start him off on PUP when they report to training camp on July 22, and then more than likely, just have that carry over into the regular season."
While Aiyuk remains likely to miss at least the first four games of the season, the positive updates are encouraging for fans worried that the team could be without one of its top offensive weapons for an extended period.
"And then, it's quite possible that he could be ready Week 5 or Week 6, getting up to speed quickly," Maiocco added. "But everything I'm hearing is that things are looking good, and that the progress is even ahead of where the markers were that the 49ers put on him when he had that surgery."
Of course, returning to the field is only the first step. The bigger question is how long it will take Aiyuk to return to form and regain his pre-injury impact after such a serious setback.
You can listen to the entire Maiocco interview below.
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