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SANTA CLARA — Things are getting real around the 49ers’ practice facility.
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been cleared to participate in practice.
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And that is what the 49ers expect him to do, general manager John Lynch said on Wednesday.
However, Lynch said he could not be certain Aiyuk would practice.
“You’ll see with me,” Lynch said. “He was here today and that was the expectation.
“He has been cleared and we’re ready to roll.”
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Lynch’s comments came just minutes before the team was scheduled to take the practice field for the first time since the league-wide cut to 53-player roster.
The 49ers appear ready to get their Aiyuk on the practice field and there might be repercussions if he continues to sit out practices.
“Then, we’ll deal with that,” Lynch said.
Basically, the only thing that has apparently changed is that the 49ers have made it known that Aiyuk is healthy and they want him to practice.
The 49ers open the regular season on Monday, Sept. 9, against the New York Jets.
Although Aiyuk reported to training camp on time this summer, he did not practice once in five weeks.
Aiyuk was considered a “hold in.” At one point in training camp, coach Kyle Shanahan said — not at all convincingly — Aiyuk was not practicing due to neck and back “soreness.”
“I know he’s been cleared by our doctors so I hope that he’s out there practicing today,” Shanahan said.
Of course, Aiyuk did not practice because of on unresolved contract situation. He is scheduled to play this season with a contract set to pay him $14.124 million.
Aiyuk requested a trade a week before the opening of training camp. The 49ers provided his representation with permission to talk about contracts with Pittsburgh, Cleveland, New England and Washington.
Between the 49ers working out a trade and/or Aiyuk agreeing to a new contract with another team, no trade has been finalized.
It appeared the 49ers’ first priority all along has been to keep Aiyuk around on a multiyear contract extension.
Although Aiyuk traveled with the team to Las Vegas for the final preseason game on Friday, it was obviously not a signal that a contract agreement was imminent.
"At some point you got to play," Lynch said.