I think the problem for WN, is that they were looking for a sub 150 pax airplane, with a 4000 mile range. They want to use that airplane both as a SWA RJ-analog, but also to introduce long, thin city pairs. When the max didn’t happen on schedule there are just very few alternatives out there.
If I were king of Embraer right now I’d be rushing to design an “E195 E2-Plus”, 5 abreast, with a 4000 mile range, that could be delivered by 2027, and setting up a US office in Dallas and manufacturing near Waco or something. I’d call it the Embraer Luvjet - designed exclusively for SWA and built in Texas.
No bad ideas in a brainstorm!