When it comes to launching franchises, there is no arguing that CBS has one of the best track records in broadcast. The network has managed to create some of the biggest franchises to ever grace the small screen, including NCIS, FBI, CSI, and Criminal Minds, and the list of franchises grew even further within the 2025-26 season with spinoffs of Fire Country and Blue Bloods entering the mix.
So perhaps it’s with little surprise that another one of CBS’s biggest shows could soon be getting a spinoff of its own, at least that’s the hope.
Although CBS has not officially ordered a spinoff, it seems there are early hopes that the Tracker universe could expand via a spinoff starring Jensen Ackles.
Ackles has guest starred in several episodes of Tracker since its launch, playing the brother of Justin Hartley’s character, Colter Shaw. He’s been a fan-favorite on the show and it seems he’s caught the attention of the creative team as well. So much so that there are early conversations about the possibility of giving his character, Russell, a spinoff with the second part of the season 3 two-part premiere setting up a potential groundwork for the series.
After crossing paths with Colter, Russell floated the idea of becoming his own boss by exploring an adventurous new career that would allow him to help people in need. As he asked his brother for tips, Russell noted that he hopes to put his military skills to use helping the greater good, hinting that perhaps Russell could lead his own show by following in Colter’s footsteps.
"We're cautious. Tracker is Justin [Hartley]'s show, and we never want to do anything that cheapens it. That said, Russell's military background opens the door to a very different kind of series — one that plays to Jensen's strengths,” Tracker showrunner Elwood Reid told TVLine when asked about a potential spinoff.
While there are no concrete plans in place for a Tracker spinoff, Reid has made it clear he would love the opportunity to work with Ackles further. It’s also clear he’s looking to plant seeds he hopes will blossom into a proper spinoff for the show.
“Who knows what the future holds. I love writing for Jensen, and I think he and Justin are so good together. There’s just a chemistry that those two have. It would be fun to continue to play with Jensen in our world or in a possible world of his own. I mean, one can always hope. That’s me shamelessly planting little things for the studio network to pick up on,” Reid told TV Insider.
It’s clear that the creative team behind Tracker is looking to expand the world, and now seems like the perfect time to begin planting those seeds. Three seasons in, Tracker has firmly established itself as a strong performer on CBS and it makes sense that the creative team is working on ways to expand the franchise.
CBS is finding success with franchise pairings with the NCIS shows airing together on Tuesday nights and Sheriff Country and Fire Country creating a strong pairing on Friday nights. A Jensen Ackles-led Tracker spinoff would pair nicely with the flagship show on Sunday nights, and surely lead to strong ratings for CBS on Sunday nights. Let’s just hope CBS sees the potential the spinoff has and chooses to make it a reality!