49ers GM Lynch shares promising update on Aiyuk's recovery originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
INDIANAPOLIS — The biggest test in Brandon Aiyuk’s recovery from ACL surgery is on the horizon.
On Wednesday afternoon, 49ers president of football operations/general manager John Lynch gave an update on the wide receiver’s progress since suffering the season-ending injury in Week 7 of the 2024 NFL season.
“He’s doing well,” Lynch told local Bay Area media in Indianapolis. “I know coming up here in a couple weeks, there’s kind of a big marker coming up.
“[Dr. Neal] ElAttrache does a big test at some point, I forget how many weeks out, and that’s coming up.”
Prior to Aiyuk’s injury, the star wide receiver was a key contributor on offense as a reliable target for quarterback Brock Purdy. In 2023, the Arizona State product appeared in 16 games and caught 75 of his 105 targets for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, earning him a second-team All-Pro nod.
“I know that anecdotally, he’s doing really well,” Lynch said. “Our trainers who have been with him say he’s doing very well. He’s putting in the work, that’s what you have to do. And like I’ve always said, the real top end athletes tend to heal at a little faster rate and I think that’s going on with Brandon as well.”
With Aiyuk’s status for Week 1 of the 2025 season uncertain, the 49ers likely will look to add receivers through free agency and the NFL draft. The team currently has Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing under contract.
“There’s stuff that that ElAttrache said right after surgery,” Lynch said. “But he also said, you have to track this thing, Often times you have set things, often times you’ll be ahead of schedule. But then there is just a fixed time, so we’ll see where that where that lies. I think it’s something constantly I’m monitoring.”
The 49ers’ scouting department also will be evaluating the wide receiver talent while at the NFL Scouting Combine this week.
