The Las Vegas Raiders have officially brought in a veteran presence for their expected No. 1 pick, Fernando Mendoza, signing Kirk Cousins on Thursday. Cousins looks like a natural fit in Las Vegas, especially with the reunion factor. Not long after the news broke, former NFL quarterback Cam Newton weighed in on his podcast, taking a jab at the move by saying Cousins is “robbing the NFL again.”

“Let’s talk about Kirk Cousins’ performance,” Cam Newton said. “You mean to tell me, Coach [Klint] Kubiak, you wanted to have a bridge quarterback that can help a young player? Last year, Michael Tarrence Penix Jr. had this to say. ‘I get no support. They were teammates. The handwriting was on the wall.”

He made it clear: he doesn’t believe Cousins can be a good mentor, and that worry goes back to what happened with Michael Penix Jr. last year.

“No,” Penix said last November when asked if he had anyone to turn to for advice. “Mentally, my fiancé… she’s always there for me. But as far as physically and on-the-field stuff, there’s not anybody I talk to as far as another quarterback or anything like that.”

That response raised eyebrows around the league, as at that time, Cousins was again operating under a massive deal. He signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons in March 2024, including $100 million guaranteed and a $50 million signing bonus. However, his run there did not last long, as the Falcons moved on after just two seasons.

Now in Las Vegas, the Raiders are facing a similar situation. Newton emphasized his concerns with a strong message.

“Coach Kubiak, I just want you to understand where we are at. And I’m trying to tell you to be exact: that this right here can be a distraction. Oh, good grief. Boy, those boys are hard, boy. You’re off the tracks. Oh, good god almighty. There’s no way, shape, form that Kurt Daniel Cousins has ever shown that he can help somebody be better.”

This year the belief is that the team will select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick in 2026. He’s the Heisman winner and a national champion, making him the obvious choice for QB1, which means he could learn from Cousins. However, Newton thinks past experiences don’t back up that plan.

So now, all eyes shift to Klint Kubiak. He has to figure out how to balance a high-paid veteran and a potential franchise quarterback while keeping the locker room steady.

Why did Klint Kubiak sign Kirk Cousins?