Julian Edelman says the New England Patriots are NOT cheaters ... calling the new Spygate II allegations "pretty much a joke."
"We haven't even thought about it, honestly," Edelman says. "We have been thinking about other things. It's funny, but it is what it is."
The Pats are being accused of cheating after one of their staffers was caught filming the Cincinnati Bengals' sideline just days before their matchup last weekend.
The video is pretty damning ... the staffer is clearly focused on the Bengals' bench and substitution packages -- and when he was caught by Cincy officials, he sure sounded guilty.