Sources: Aidan Hutchinson hopes to return if Lions make Super Bowl

Sources close to Aidan Hutchinson believe the Lions standout defensive end will have a realistic chance to return for the Super Bowl if Detroit advances that far.

One source went so far as to tell ESPN that, knowing Hutchinson and his injury, it would be more surprising if he did not make it back for a potential Super Bowl appearance than if he did.

Hutchinson is recovering from Sunday night's surgery on his fractured left tibia and fibula at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in Irving, Texas.

Hutchinson doesn't consider this injury as severe as the one he suffered as a junior at Michigan in 2020, when he fractured his right ankle and missed all but three games that season.

The Lions placed Hutchinson on injured reserve this week, but coach Dan Campbell said he anticipates a four- to six-month recovery process and refused to call it a season-ending injury.

"I would never count Hutch out, ever," Campbell said Monday. "So, probably a long road, but I would never count him out, and I would say if anybody can make it back, it'd be him."

Detroit already is making calls to other teams inquiring about the availability of defensive ends, according to league sources. But the Lions, having already re-signed a number of their players and planning to re-sign more, do not have unlimited financial resources and are restricted in the type of defensive end they could acquire.

The Lions additionally would need the help and cooperation of another trading team, and so far, a deal has not presented itself. Detroit will keep looking, but the team also sounds content to rely on its current defensive core.

One player the Lions could be interested in is Cleveland Browns defensive end Za'Darius Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler who has 63 career sacks, including three this season.

Smith, 32, has one year remaining on his contract after this season but is a player whom Cleveland would like to keep. He will make a $1.21 million base salary this season and a $1.5 million base next season plus an additional $9 million in bonus payments.

For the time being, the Lions still are counting on Hutchinson -- and remembering him. Lions defensive tackle  Alim McNeill noticed that the value of his recent four-year extension was $97 million and believed that was somehow not accidental, viewing it as a tribute to Hutchinson, who wears No. 97.

Although Hutchinson was lost for the remainder of the regular season, he was fortunate with many of the circumstances surrounding his injury.

AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys where Hutchinson suffered the injury, is located approximately 10 minutes from Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, which is considered one of the top hospitals in the world for injuries like the one he sustained. Dr. Alan Jones, who operated on Hutchinson, is considered one of the best in the world at repairing the type of injury that Hutchinson suffered.

Hutchinson did not sustain any ligament, nerve or artery damage -- only the broken bones -- before having a rod inserted in his leg. As bad as the injury was, Hutchinson was considered to be fortunate to be in the place he was at the time he was.

Hutchinson, 24, leads the NFL with 7.5 sacks this season -- his third since being selected by the Lions with the No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft.

ESPN's Eric Woodyard contributed to this report.