"Even though we kind of warned our fans, I think that's a tough pill to swallow, even if you hear it's happening," Lynch said on the latest '49ers Talk,'" via NBC Sports Bay Area. "I think it spoke to how good our roster was. We had a lot of talent on it, and we had acquired a lot of talent and accrued a lot of talent."

San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch sets clear expectations for a younger roster, emphasizing patience and development in the upcoming season.

The San Francisco 49ers are not rebuilding but nonetheless face a major turning point for the franchise after watching a number of starters from last season's team depart during the offseason.