Brisbane Broncos commitment to upgrade Reece Walsh's deal is set to force Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs to take pay cuts or face the pair heading onto the NRL's open market.

The two centres will become free agents from November 1 this year around the time Walsh's new contract, reportedly worth around $6 million over the next five seasons, will rollover from his expiring two-year deal.

A further squeeze on the club's salary cap will be felt on new negotiations for Cobbo and Staggs to stay on following Ezra Mam agreeing to a big-money extension of $4 million from next year until the end 2029.

Securing the star fullback and the five-eighth force has taken precedence over ensuring a Wakka Wakka winger-come-centre and veteran Wiradjuri centre respectively remains at the club.

Coach Kevin Walters admitted while Cobbo and Staggs remain key figures for the future of the Broncos, but in order to retain both men they will have to settle for less money per season in Brisbane than either could get elsewhere.

Walters wants to be instrumental in contract talks to keep the players, considering the Broncos have anointed the five-time premiership hero as the long-term coach and the heir to Wayne Bennett's 21-year dynasty in charge from the club's inaugural side through to 2008.

Bennett, who coaches crosstown rivals Dolphins before heading to South Sydney next year, returned to the Broncos in 2015 for four more seasons after his past replacements never quite worked out like Walters appears to have after last year's gutsy grand final run.

"I'd expect to hang on to both," Walters said.

"We have got to find a way to make it happen.

"They are two quality players, who have both been through the (Broncos) academy.

"They are both going to demand a lot of money, but what we need to do is try to find a compromise with both of those players where they are staying here and keep playing in a great side and a great club, but taking a little bit less money possibly so they do stay here and keep being successful."

Walters own playing career, including 242 Broncos games from 1990 until 2001 preceded by 50 matches for Canberra, wants to reward loyalty but can only do so with a promise of premiership success rather than a larger bank account.

Central to the Broncos' success through the dominant 1990s was that a number of top stars were prepared to take pay cuts and play for less to remain at the club.

Walters appeared to think both Cobbo and Staggs were not the type of players to leave their tightknit football family for the uncertainty of starting over.

"I believe so – if you have got the right environment for them," he said.

"Kotoni is a Bronco to the bone and so is Selwyn.

"That's the target to keep both.

"That's what I want to do as the coach.

"It is going to be difficult, but rugby league is difficult.

"We've got to find a way."

While Walsh is yet to put pen to a rich new deal to remain at the Broncos, there seems there is no backing down to the terms that both parties have cordially accepted, especially after the club went to a lot of trouble to lure the Murri man back from the NZ Warriors.

That situation surrounding Walsh's contract extension after a brilliant return in the 2023 NRL season makes it tricky for the Broncos to offer more cash.

Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan are two other Broncos that re-signed, ensuring there is not much room to bargain around.

Walsh, back in May, said that he was "one hundred per cent" committed to re-sign.

"The Broncos are a massive part of me being here (in Origin) and I love the club," he said.

"I want to be here for a long time and all that (contract) stuff will get sorted.

"I love the club and I love the people involved at the club, and all what they stand for.

"They have amazing values ... and we've got some decent (players) too and that plays a factor."

Retired Brisbane champion Corey Parker has said his former club has put itself into a precarious position and does not expect the Broncos to retain both popular stars after losing centre Herbie Farnworth at the end of last season to the Dolphins.

"A lesser club unlike a Broncos might dangle seven figures at Cobbo and say we want you to be our No.1 (fullback)," Parker said last month.

"Playing fullback has highlighted him again in the shop… I don't see how they could keep those players (both Cobbo and Staggs) for the money that someone like a Cobbo would be offered on the open market because he can play fullback."