Jesse Lee Soffer of Chicago P.D. Secures New CBS Role Following FBI Departure
Following his unexpected departure from Chicago P.D. and the contentious cancellation of FBI: International, Jesse Lee Soffer has landed a new leading role.
On Wednesday, August 12, multiple sources confirmed that CBS is working on Strike Force (working title), which is a prospective drama series that Soffer, 42, would not only star in but also executive produce.
In this potential project, Soffer is set to portray a “battle-tested DEA agent” who “returns home to Kansas City to spearhead a multi-agency strike force aimed at targeting the violent criminals trying to take advantage of America’s heartland,” according to the official synopsis.
If the series is approved, Strike Force is expected to be included in the network’s 2027-28 lineup. This show will also mark a reunion for Soffer with Matt Olmstead, who previously co-created NBC’s Chicago P.D. and served as an executive producer on CBS’ FBI: International.
Soffer became a beloved figure among fans after his portrayal of Jay Halstead for 10 seasons on Chicago P.D. before leaving the series.
“I felt it was time for more. Eventually, you get to know a character so well that there isn’t much left to transform,” he shared with Variety in 2023. “I really wanted to evolve and expand, and life is short. If I had signed on again, it would have meant another three years. I would have turned 40 on that show. I thought, ‘It’s time to take a risk.’”
The actor continued to engage with the Dick Wolf universe after taking on the role of Wes in FBI: International.
“By the end of 10 seasons on [Chicago] P.D., Halstead had accumulated a lot of baggage,” Soffer exclusively shared with Us in October 2024 about his former detective role. “He’s someone who has endured significant trauma.”
Soffer indicated that Wes is a “totally new” character with a “different demeanor” and a “different attitude.”
CBS is setting viewership records with programs like Justin Hartley‘s Tracker and the Yellowstone spinoff Marshals, but the network is also bidding farewell to several shows in 2026. Before announcing its fall 2026 schedule, CBS confirmed that Ghosts, Matlock, and NCIS: Sydney won’t be returning this season.
“I have a deep love for Wolf productions, and they hold a special place in my heart. This opportunity came as a surprise, and I thought, ‘This wasn’t on my radar, but let’s do it,’” he reminisced. “[It was] impossible to foresee. There was no way to anticipate it.”
CBS officially canceled FBI: International in March following its four-season run. Soffer, for his part, made a return to One Chicago earlier this year for a crossover event, which saw him reunite with onscreen love interest and rumored partner Tracy Spiridakos.
Spiridakos, 38, left Chicago P.D. one season after Soffer. She is currently starring in USA Network’s Anna Pigeon and expressed her thoughts on the possibility of Soffer guest-starring in a future episode.
“I’ve heard fans express that they want Jesse to come and play a villain on the show,” she disclosed to Us earlier this month. “I’d be up for that. It would be exciting.”
