As far as Colt goes I don't think it's so much that they can't afford him, it's more that he doesn't want to be tied down by them. Since they got bought by Sinclair they have made the effort to lock everyone up under contract to where THEY control their outside bookings. Colt is pretty much the one guy on the indies who can look at that and say "No, I can't agree to that" and be better off for it. WWE is the only company he would "sell out" for. He's doing better on his own than he would be doing in ROH, financially, and he can wrestle pretty much wherever he wants.
EDIT: Wow that sounds really contradictory, lol. I mean that they don't have plans for him as a main eventer so they won't pay him main event money. It's not that they CAN'T pay him main event money if they really wanted to though. I would guess he and Davey are both doing just as well as each other right now.
I'm not sure WHAT the deal with Generico is. They do book him from time to time but he also takes bookings in the Gabe feds which is really weird. I have to believe he's a big part of their future but not of their present, so he's got the leverage right now.
--
Thank you, Eddie Guerrero.
http://www.wwe.com/f/styles/photo_large/public/photo/image/2012/04/33_Moscow_04112012jg_02128.jpg