After 18 years on air, NBC’s Law & Order franchise has grown accustom to casting changes.  Now it appears the flagship series - and the viewers - will have to adjust to one more by season’s end.

Jesse L. Martin, who plays Detective Ed Green, will reportedly be saying goodbye to the Dick Wolf family soon.  The actor was originally paired with the great Jerry Orbach when he joined the cast back in 1999.  In his nine seasons on the show, he has also been assigned to Dennis Farina and recent addition Jeremy Sisto.  (I wonder if Sisto should feel slighted by his new partner’s early exit.)

Anthony Anderson, who most recently honed his officer chops on the already-forgotten K-Ville, is in line to fill Martin’s shoes.  Although it’s not clear how Det. Green will vacate his position (Will he be killed?  Will he also go into the Witness Protection Program?), his departure will happen before the season’s finale.  That’s around the same time Anderson is expected to make his entrance.

Martin is next scheduled to portray singer Marvin Gaye in Sexual Healing.  That film is currently in pre-production.