At the beginning of the month, a report was released stating that WWE was in an unofficial hiring freeze, which is why a number of top free agents like Nick Aldis, Jay White, and Naomi were not brought in. You can read the original report here.
In an update, Fightful Select states that while there was a point where WWE was not bringing in any new names, they are still talking with outside talent. The publication confirms that higher-ups were in conversations with Aldis, and Jay White, who they both lost out on to other rival promotions (AEW & IMPACT).
WWE was also in talks with former MLW star EJ Nduka, who they released a few years ago due to COVID-19 cuts.
Stay tuned.