The New England Patriots have issued a statement regarding the news that Matt Walsh will meet with Commissioner Roger Goodell next month in New York. In our view, the statement oozes with the frustration that the Pats have been experiencing since Walsh’s name hit the national radar screen two days before Super Bowl XLII.

It’s also clear that the Patriots are prepared to disagree with anything that Walsh has to say.

Here’s the full text:

“The New England Patriots are pleased to learn that Matt Walsh is finally willing to come forward to meet with the NFL. We are eagerly anticipating his honest disclosures to Commissioner Goodell next month and the return of all the materials he took during his time of employment. We fully expect this meeting to conclude the league’s investigation into a damaging and false allegation that was originally levied against the team on the day before this year’s Super Bowl.

“It is important to note that there has never been a confidentiality agreement restricting Matt Walsh and no legal protections were ever necessary for him to speak to the NFL, to media outlets or to anyone else regarding his employment with the Patriots.  He demanded to be released from responsibility for his statements, and after a frustrating and lengthy negotiation period, a settlement has finally been reached.  Walsh has been granted a significant number of privileges through this agreement, none of which the Patriots or the NFL were obligated to give.

“At all times, we cooperated fully with the league’s investigation and stand by our initial public statement from Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008: ‘The suggestion that the New England Patriots recorded the St. Louis Rams’ walkthrough on the day before Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002 is absolutely false.’

“The Patriots’ organizational focus at this time is on the NFL Draft and preparing for what we hope will be an exciting 2008 season. We will have no further comments regarding Matt Walsh at this time.”

Clearly, the Pats believe that Walsh was the source for the February 2 item in the Boston Herald alleging that the Rams’ practice was videotaped.  Though the Herald surely won’t comment on whether Walsh was the source, it’ll be very interesting to see what Walsh has to say about whether he said anything to the Herald along these lines.

The more we think about it, the Pats might want to consider playing nice with Walsh.  In the end, he could be their star witness in the defamation lawsuit filed against the Herald.