49ers GM John Lynch has honest take on Brandon Aiyuk situation

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch does not want the ongoing Brandon Aiyuk situation to become a distraction.

Aiyuk, who is currently on the 49ers’ reserve/did not report list, unexpectedly filed for reinstatement earlier this week. The 28-year-old wide receiver’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, stated Wednesday that Aiyuk “is healthy and ready to get back on the field” and added that he and his client plan to “put our best foot forward.”

Aiyuk is expected to be at the Niners’ facility on Friday to determine next steps. On Thursday, Lynch spoke about the “unique situation” on KNBR.

“Look, I think the way I’ll characterize it, number one, we’ve got a 6-1 football team that we think has really got a shot at this thing this year,” Lynch said, via Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper.

“So our focus is going to remain on this team. Kyle spoke of that yesterday. Having said that, I have a job to do, and it entails a lot of different things. This is kind of a unique situation, not one you have — so there’s really no playbook, but I always go back to what’s my charge, what’s my job. My job is to look out for the best interests of the 49ers, and as such, in this particular situation, we’re working with the NFL management council to navigate through kind of a different situation.

Lynch described the entire process as “fluid” and said more will be known about the 49ers’ plan for Aiyuk once the two sides get together. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan stated Wednesday that he has mentally “moved on” from Aiyuk.

While it’s still likely the 49ers decide to move on from Aiyuk, neither Lynch nor Shanahan would rule out any specific outcome just yet — even one wherein Aiyuk returns to the team.

The 49ers are tied for the best record in the NFL through 8 weeks. Adding a complete enigma in Aiyuk, who has been at odds with the Niners over the past year, could unnecessarily shake up the team.