The Sports Xchange

The San Francisco 49ers acquired linebacker Gerald Hodges in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings that sent center Nick Easton and a sixth-round draft pick to the Vikings, the teams announced.

Hodges started three of the first four games for Minnesota this season and made 20 tackles.

Minnesota starting center John Sullivan is on injured reserve with a herniated disk in his back. Joe Berger started the first four games at center, and Easton gives them some depth at the position.

–NFL Vice President of Officiating Dean Blandino told NFL Network late Monday that a penalty should have been called on Seattle Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright for intentionally batting the ball through the end zone after it was stripped from Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson inside the 1-yard line late in Monday’s game.

It would have given the Lions the ball inside the 1-yard line with a first down trailing 13-10. Instead it was ruled a touchback, and Seattle was given the ball at its 20 and ran out the clock.

Wright admitted to batting the ball, although he thought he was making a good play.

“Yeah, you can’t hit it backwards, and you can’t intentionally I guess knock it out,” Wright said after the game, via The Seattle Times. “But at the time I wasn’t thinking that, I was just trying to not mess up the game. So I know now.”

During a radio interview on Tuesday, Seattle coach Carroll also admitted he was unaware of the rule.

“I would have done the exact same thing,” Carroll said on 710 ESPN.

–Detroit Lions defensive tackle Tyrunn Walker was scheduled to have surgery for a broken fibula on Tuesday and could be lost for the season, according NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.

The Lions are expected to put Walker on the injured-reserve list. He suffered the injury in Monday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

–The Chicago Bears placed center Will Montgomery on the injured reserve list, the team announced.

The team did not specify the injury, but multiple media outlets reported Montgomery suffered a broken left tibia in Sunday’s victory over the Oakland Raiders and will be lost for the season.

–Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano won’t say if quarterback Andrew Luck will be available to play against Houston on Thursday, but remains hopeful. Luck is nursing a sore right shoulder.

He did say that Luck took the majority of the team’s snaps during Tuesday’s practice. Luck said he is preparing as if he will start Thursday.

–All-Pro wide receiver Dez Bryant is on pace to return to the Dallas Cowboys as soon as October 23.

The Cowboys (2-2) are off next week following Sunday’s matchup with the undefeated New England Patriots, when linebacker Rolando McClain and defensive end Greg Hardy are expected to play for Dallas for the first time this season.

Owner Jerry Jones more reinforcements could be coming soon, namely Bryant, who had surgery to repair a broken right foot.

–The Atlanta Falcons placed Devin Hester on short-term injured reserve with the turf toe injury that has sidelined the veteran receiver and return man through the first four games of the season.

The team also signed safety Charles Godfrey and tight end Tony Moeaki and released tight end Mickey Shuler.

–Tennessee Titans wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham was arrested Sept. 30 in Missouri for unpaid traffic tickets.

The Tennessean reported Green-Beckham was stopped for going 65 in a 55 mph zone. During the stop, officers noticed an outstanding warrant for speeding in Osage Beach, Mo.

–Antonio Gates is back with the San Diego Chargers from a four-game suspension.

Gates’ presence is desperately needed in light of injuries to wide receiver Malcom Floyd and Stevie Johnson.

Gates was banned for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy.

–Connor Barth is back with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The place-kicker outlasted Kai Forbath, Randy Bullock and Billy Cundiff in a tryout Monday, the same day the Buccaneers released kicker Kyle Brindza.

The Buccaneers also moved wide receiver Donteea Dye and defensive end Howard Jones from the practice squad to the active roster and placed defensive end T.J. Fatinikun on Injured Reserve. He has been bothered by a shoulder injury.

–Buffalo Bills running back Karlos Williams entered the NFL concussion protocol on Monday and could miss the Bills’ Week 5 game against the Tennessee Titans.

With running back LeSean McCoy also injured, the Bills hosted a workout for several players, including former first-round pick Trent Richardson.

However, the Bills signed running back Dan Herron to the team’s 53-man roster instead.

The Bills also announced they placed tight end MarQueis Gray on injured reserve.

— Atlanta Falcons running back Tevin Coleman, who suffered fractured ribs against the New York Giants on Sept. 20, may return to practice on Wednesday.

“We’re hopeful, we’ll probably be able to get him for sure some work on starting Wednesday,” Falcons head coach Dan Quinn said.