Sponsor Licence safety vs. square one (Processing Times)

Hello everyone! So it's finally my turn.

This is an open call for anyone whose employer (qualifying as a small company, lower fees bracket) has recently acquired a Sponsor Licence, to share the processing time required.

My odyssey in brief: Currently on a Tier 5 (Youth Mobility), was employed by a small company for 1 1/2 years. They sought professional advice when a Tier 2 loomed on the horizon, and they were advised that my position wouldn't stand up to a RLMT without a qualified EU citizen waltzing in. My employer and I parted ways, but it turns out the local market is actually quite in my favour.

In the final week of my notice, I received interviews and offers from Companies A and B. Company A is cheerful, sociable, recognized in the industry, very keen on me personally, but completely uninformed about the sponsorship process, and not yet a Licence holder. Company B barely met with me, is a completely unknown, but is already sponsoring two people and is currently holding an RLMT for me.

If I had more time, I would already be on board with Company A. But, I currently have 28 days and counting on my visa, and I don't want to be out of the country more than 2 1/2 months, in order to maintain my flat.

I've heard optimistic processing times of three weeks on the Sponsor Licence. The optimists around me are cheering Company A on. But is it complete folly to leave the country before my future employer has even received a Licence?

PS: Secondary question: Company A wish to have me freelance while out of the country. Is that grounds for a visa denial?

Accepting freelance offer 'may' jeopardise your Tier 2 visa application as UKVI may think that you were pre-selected even before conducting RLMT for the permanent job (if you wish to accept company A).