Adam Reynolds remains unsigned for 2026. Two 'desperate' clubs could soon pounce

Adam Reynolds is coming towards the end of his original deal with the Broncos and with an extension yet to come to fruition at a time when halfbacks are at a premium, speculation is brewing that he could be on the move.

The veteran halfback was at his brilliant best on Friday against the Cowboys, coming up with a try assist, forcing two dropouts and scoring a rare try of his own.

Reynolds is approaching his 35th birthday but is still operating at a high level, despite continued concerns over his body in recent years.

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While publicly he's remained somewhat coy about his plans, Reynolds has indicated that his desire would be to play on, potentially for another two seasons.

"That will sort itself out in the future," he said after the round three win.

"I'm enjoying myself, I've got a great team around me and the coaching staff is fantastic.

"As long as I'm continuing to enjoy my footy, I've got to keep doing my job … as long as I'm doing that, the future will look after itself."

Should the Broncos table a contract extension, the biggest question will be how much they are willing to pay - and perhaps, how much Reynolds could earn elsewhere.

The club already has Ben Hunt on its books for 2026 on reasonable money, while Ezra Mam is yet to come back from suspension and is on huge coin long-term.

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As we've seen countless times, three does not fit into two and someone will miss out.

Rumours began to swirl on Monday morning that if Brisbane don't come up with an offer for their skipper soon, Reynolds could return to his roots in Sydney.

A reunion with South Sydney would be highly unlikely, but there could be a number of other teams that would be interested in the pint-sized halfback for one or two years.

St George Illawarra have struggled to replace Hunt, but have already landed Sharks utility Daniel Atkinson for next year, where he's expected to play five-eighth.

Shane Flanagan could do a lot worse than look to Reynolds as the organising No.7 they desperately need on a short-term stay and a 'win now' type of mentality.

Parramatta will also be on the hunt for a playmaker and while Reynolds wouldn't usurp Mitchell Moses for the main playmaking role, they could complement each other well.

There's also the situation unfolding at Manly, with their own ageing playmaker in Daly Cherry-Evans still unsigned and was reportedly offered a low-ball $600,000 extension.

It's not entirely out of the question for Cherry-Evans to move on if negotiations fall flat and Reynolds would be a like-for-like replacement.

Both halfbacks are in tricky situations and it does become a balancing act for clubs.

But with Dylan Brown earning $1.3 million a season based largely on potential, Billy Slater has thrown his support behind some of the oldest players in the league.

"All of a sudden, we're signing players on what they could possibly do and not what they've done and can still do," he said on Nine's The Sunday Footy Show.

"South Sydney are still recovering from letting Adam Reynolds go."

In a perfect world, Brisbane would keep Reynolds around for 2026 and maybe even longer, pushing for an elusive premiership with Hunt and Mam both featuring too.

But rugby league, as Reynolds so harshly found out when the Rabbitohs showed him the door, is far from perfect and a fairytale ending isn't always on the table.