49ers' Brandon Aiyuk 'Not Close' to Return from Knee Injury, Says GM John Lynch

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is not trending toward an on-field return any time soon after tearing his ACL last season.

During an appearance Thursday on KNBR's The Murph & Markus Show, 49ers general manager John Lynch provided an update on Aiyuk, saying, "There's no absolutes on these things. He's gotta continue to hit markers. He's tracking well, we'll be a better team when Brandon's out there. ... But it's not close."

Despite the fact that Aiyuk is progressing slowly, Lynch emphasized that the wideout has had "no setbacks" in his recovery.

Before the start of the 2025 regular season, Aiyuk was placed on the physically unable to perform list, meaning he would have to miss at least the first four games of the campaign.

In August, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned Week 6 as a potential turn date for Aiyuk, although Lynch's comments call into question whether that is still realistic.

Aiyuk is 11 months removed from tearing his ACL, as he suffered the injury during a Week 7 game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 20, 2024.

In Week 7 of the 2025 season on Oct. 19, the Niners host the Atlanta Falcons in a Sunday Night Football game, and it will be almost exactly one year since the injury.

With Aiyuk injured and Deebo Samuel getting traded to the Washington Commanders, the 49ers have had some struggles fielding a competent receiving corps so far this season.

Ricky Pearsall has been the team's No. 1 target by a long shot, ranking third in the NFL with 281 receiving yards.

Beyond Pearsall, Jauan Jennings has been banged up, missing Week 3 due to injury, Jordan Watkins is injured and Demarcus Robinson missed the first three games of the season due to suspension.

On top of that, star tight end George Kittle was placed on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 1, meaning he can't return until Week 6 at the earliest.

Even quarterback Brock Purdy has missed the Niners' past two games with shoulder and toe injuries, thrusting backup Mac Jones into action.

Despite all of that, the 49ers are one of only six teams that still have an undefeated record this season, and they will carry a 3-0 record into their Week 4 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.

While the Niners have overcome a great deal of adversity this season, it could catch up to them eventually, which is why they need to start getting some of their key players back on the field.

Aiyuk, a 2020 first-round pick out of Arizona State, is just two seasons removed from a career year when he recorded 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns for a 49ers team that reached the Super Bowl.

Getting that type of offensive weapon back to play alongside Pearsall, Jennings, Kittle and running back Christian McCaffrey would be huge for the team's chances of continuing their winning ways, but there is still no indication of when that could happen.