Not all NFL locker rooms are created equal.

Some, like the clubhouses in New England, Baltimore and Cincinnati are more accommodating to players with character concerns. Others — such as those in San Diego, Green Bay and Houston — are less willing to overlook red flags.

What accounts for this difference in culture?

It starts at the top with the head coach. Coaches with rings on their fingers are more willing to roll the dice, knowing their jobs are secure if things come up snake-eyes. That explains why Bill Belichick can draft guys like Aaron Hernandez and Alfonzo Dennard, and why the Ravens can bring in a guy like Dorial Green-Beckham for a private visit even after an offseason in which three more Baltimore players were arrested.

Nine Ravens players have been arrested over the last 14 months. That includes the three arrests earlier this offseason, each of which resulted in the immediate release of the offending player. However, coach John Harbaugh insists the Ravens still do not have a zero-tolerance policy, even in the wake of the Ray Rice video that dominated the headlines for much of last season.

“I don’t know any organization in the world that has that rule,” Harbaugh said.

The logic is simple. It’s easy to take a hardline stance on players like Terrence Cody and Bernard Pierce; it’s much more difficult when top-level producers like Rice are involved.

It is not only Super Bowl-winning coaches who make these decisions. Sometimes, big egos in big chairs can’t help but convince themselves they can bring out the best in the worst kinds of people. That explains some of the other questionable transactions we saw this offseason, including Rex Ryan and the Bills signing Richie Incognito and Percy Harvin, followed by Jerry Jones and the Cowboys signing Greg Hardy and Rolando McClain.

But this is not just about decision-makers. There are other factors at play, as well. Teams that have strong veteran leadership in the locker room are more likely to bring in a so-called character risks. The Patriots — with Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, Rob Ninkovich and (until recently) Vince Wilfork — have leadership in bunches. The Ravens used to have the same with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed; their departures help explain why the wheels have started to come off in the Charm City.

Winning also plays a critical role — players are less likely to act up when their efforts result in wins. This helps explain some of the success the Bengals have had with red-flag players. Cincinnati, which has won 40 games over the last four seasons, has done well in recent seasons with players like Adam Jones, Tank Johnson and Cedric Benson.

Despite that success, Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis is reluctant to add more “red flag” players in this year’s draft.

“We took a couple guys in the 2005 draft (Odell Thurman and Chris Henry), then we followed it up in 2006 with a couple guys that had some issues (Frostee Rucker and A.J. Nicholson),” Lewis said. “We recognized those guys then, and we had a lot of confidence in, ‘Well, I can change people.’ Well, we’ve learned that I screwed that up and I can’t change them. These kids come out of college right now and some of them have different character flaws. In order to stay around here in the NFL, they’ve got to get that fixed.”

But even Lewis would not pass on a character risk if the talent and value were right. After all, the NFL is about talent above all else. Just look at former receivers Terrell Owens and Randy Moss, two selfish divas who are also destined for the Hall of Fame. Already in the Hall of Fame is Warren Sapp, arguably the worst human being ever to play in the NFL.

The examples need not be limited to the past tense, either. The biggest character risk in this year’s draft, Jameis Winston, is expected to hear his name called before any other prospect. The Bucs don’t have much choice, given their glaring need at quarterback, so all they can do is manage the risk as best they can.

One positive step Tampa Bay took in that direction was hanging onto Vincent Jackson. Jackson, who dealt with off-the-field issues early in his career, has straightened out and been a model citizen since arriving in Tampa Bay. The hope is he can help direct Winston down a similar path.

As for the rest of the draft’s character risks — a list that includes Green-Beckham (Missouri), Paul Dawson (TCU), Marcus Peters (Washington) and Karlos Williams (Florida State), among others — they will have to wait for that bold coach/team to decide the risk is worth the reward. Expect the usual suspects — the Patriots, Ravens, Broncos, Seahawks, Lions and Redskins — to be the hottest in pursuit. These franchises, more than most others, believe in the cliche “you have to risk it to get the biscuit.”

Unfortunately, a lot of these biscuits are far too flaky.