When Jesse Lee Soffer left Chicago PD at the beginning of season 10, he did so out of a desire to lead his own show. As he told Variety following his departure, "PD is an ensemble—Jason's definitely the lead and the strong patriarch on that show. I definitely think I’m ready to be a lead on a show and to have my own show. I’d put all of my heart and soul into it.”
Following his exit, he got the chance to lead a series when he was brought in to replace Luke Kleintank as the new lead of FBI: International. Soffer was absolutely phenomenal in the role of FBI SSA Wesley 'Wes' Mitchell. The role definitely had some shades of Halstead, but it allowed Soffer to step into a new character and take the reins of a show, and he did so with ease.
Soffer was an amazing addition to the FBI: International cast, and fans loved seeing him center stage as the team’s new lead. That’s what made the show’s sudden and unexpected cancellation sting so badly, as it felt like Soffer had found a role he could easily inhabit for years to come and fans were excited to go on that journey with him.
After FBI: International’s cancellation by CBS in 2025, fans hoped to see Soffer book a new role, but it’s been a bit quieter for the Chicago PD fan favorite whose most recent credit came via a cameo in the 2026 One Chicago crossover, reprising his role as Detective Jay Halstead.
His return in the crossover event reminded us why we miss the character so much, and that’s because having Halstead in the mix means having Soffer on our screens. The cameo not only left us wanting more of Halstead, but it left us wanting to see Soffer back on television leading a new project. And that’s when it hit me: there is a highly anticipated new project in development that Soffer would be absolutely perfect for: ABC’s new Grey’s Anatomy spinoff!
Jesse Lee Soffer could easily become the next McDreamy
In late May, news broke that ABC had given a straight-to-series order to a new Grey’s Anatomy spinoff in the same world as the flagship series set against the backdrop of Texas. Little information remains known about the spinoff, but we’ve watched enough Grey’s Anatomy to know what we’re getting into and fully expect another can’t-miss medical drama that will become our new obsession.
Like most Shondaland casts, we’re expecting a diverse cast filled with both familiar faces and newcomers primed to become the next breakout sensation. While there will be no shortage of actors to choose from, we definitely think ABC would be wise to consider Jesse Lee Soffer for one of those lead roles.
Not to be superficial, but this is a Grey’s Anatomy series we’re talking about, and we all know the franchise has a history of casting hot doctors. It literally gave us McDreamy and McSteamy.
Soffer has the rugged, all-American look that naturally fits the “hot cowboy doctor” archetype. He’s literally tall, dark, and handsome—something FBI: International had no problem tapping into and playing up in subtle ways (we all looked respectfully during that pool scene). There is no doubt at all that Soffer has the look to play a hot doc in a Shondaland show, but looks aren’t the only reason why he’s perfect for the show.
In his years leading a network drama show, Soffer proved he can balance intensity, charm, and emotional depth, which are key traits for a character who has to handle both high-stakes medical cases and personal storylines. There’s also an understated confidence in his screen presence that makes him believable as someone who could play an experienced doctor running a hospital or a department within a hospital.
He also brings a passionate fanbase to the table, as One Chicago fans are among the most loyal fans around and often follow alums to their new projects, which would be a nice bonus for ABC. There is no doubt that One Chicago fans would show up to watch Soffer in the Grey’s spinoff, and it would definitely be fun to see him play a character that isn’t connected to law enforcement for a change after his turns on Chicago PD and FBI: International.
With the Grey’s Texas-based spinoff expected to debut in early 2027, ABC is likely working on casting the show as we speak, and we can only hope that someone on the casting team sees our vision and makes it a reality!
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