SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ 49ers Linebacker Aaron Lynch will miss the first four games of the regular season for violating the NFL policy on substance abuse, the league announced Friday.
Lynch played in 14 games with 13 starts at outside linebacker last season and had 6{ sacks after having six sacks as a rookie from South Florida in 2014.
While Lynch is eligible to participate in training camp as well as preseason games, he will leave the team before the regular-season opener. He is eligible to return Oct. 3, the day after the 49ers' Week 4 game against the Dallas Cowboys.
In the 2014 NFL draft, Lynch slipped into the fifth round, taken with the 150th pick, because of character concerns.
"While disappointed to hear the news regarding Aaron today, we support and respect the league's decision," 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said in a statement. "We are confident that he will learn from this matter and that he understands what is expected of him moving forward."
The suspension is a blow to the 49ers' pass rush, with the 6-foot-6, 270-pound Lynch considered the best outside threat on the defense. He shared the team lead in sacks the past two years with Ahmad Brooks.
Brooks and Eli Harold figure to start at outside linebacker when the 49ers open the season against the Los Angeles Rams.
