Former 'Blue Bloods' star Jennifer Esposito joins 'NCIS'

Jennifer Esposito is going to be carrying a badge on CBS once again this fall.

The former Blue Bloods star, 43, has signed on for the 14th season of the network's top-rated drama NCIS,  where she will play Special Agent Alex Quinn, who is returning to field work after a stint as an instructor.

“We couldn’t be happier to have Jennifer Esposito joining us for season 14,” NCIS executive producer Gary Glasberg said in a statement. “She embodies everything that we hoped for in the character of Quinn and we can’t wait to have her come be a part of our team.”

The announcement signals a significant thawing of relations between CBS and the actress, who quit her old police drama when the network wouldn't accommodate a reduced schedule while she was suffering from the effects of Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder characterized by extreme gluten sensitivity and fatigue. At the time, Esposito said the network left her in limbo by putting her character in a leave of absence while not allowing her to work elsewhere.

When Esposito makes her debut in the Sept. 20 season opener, she won't be the only "probie" — the nickname given to new NCIS agents. The show announced the addition of former That '70s Show star Wilmer Valderrama last month, They've also promoted Duane Henry, who guest-starred as a MI6 agent at the end of last season, to a series regular.