When rumors began circulating about potential cast shakeups within CBS’s hit franchise FBI, fans immediately wondered whether other networks might swoop in to offer a lifeline to departing actors. Given NBC’s history of absorbing talent from rival networks, some speculated it could be a natural landing spot. However, the reality is more complicated. NBC, while successful in many areas, is currently facing its own slate of issues — and that makes “rescuing” CBS’s FBI castoffs an unlikely scenario.
NBC’s Crowded Drama Slate
NBC already has one of the busiest primetime lineups on broadcast television. The network’s One Chicago franchise (Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med) continues to anchor its schedule, while Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU remain long-running staples. With so many scripted dramas commanding valuable primetime slots, there is little room left to integrate outside talent, no matter how popular.
Adding former FBI stars would create scheduling and budgetary headaches. Each of NBC’s franchises already demands significant resources, and expanding further could risk stretching the network too thin.
Financial and Strategic Pressures
Like all traditional broadcasters, NBC is navigating the challenges of declining linear ratings and increased competition from streaming services. Budgets are tighter, and the network has to prioritize projects that deliver guaranteed returns. Investing in talent released from a rival network doesn’t necessarily align with that strategy.
Instead, NBC has been funneling resources into developing its own new dramas while strengthening partnerships with Peacock, its streaming arm. That dual focus leaves little incentive to take on cast members tied to CBS’s existing intellectual property.
Franchise Overlap Concerns
There’s also the issue of overlap. The FBI franchise, created by Dick Wolf, exists in direct competition with Wolf’s NBC universe. While the shows share stylistic DNA — fast-paced procedural storytelling, ensemble casts, and interconnected narratives — they also compete for the same audience.
If NBC were to incorporate CBS’s FBI castoffs, it could create branding confusion. NBC would rather reinforce its own franchises than blur the lines with a competing property, even one that shares creative roots.
Fans Want a Safety Net, But Reality Is Different
For fans invested in specific FBI characters, the idea of NBC offering a second chance feels like a logical solution. Yet television doesn’t always operate on fan wish fulfillment. The business side — from contracts to budgets to brand identity — often dictates casting decisions more than audience demand.
Industry insiders suggest that departing FBI actors are more likely to land in new pilots, streaming projects, or cable dramas rather than be absorbed into NBC’s already-packed schedule.
The Bottom Line
NBC may share DNA with CBS’s FBI through the influence of Dick Wolf, but the network’s own slate of dramas, budget pressures, and branding strategies mean it can’t serve as a safety net for displaced cast members. For now, fans should expect FBI departures to find new life elsewhere — but not on NBC’s primetime stage.
