[Q] Best option for MDK GS4 replaced with MK2 topic

Hey guys,

Long time lurker looking for my best option here with my recent phone replacement. Accidentally cracked the screen on my rooted custom ROM MDK GS4 and ordered a replacement from Asurion not really thinking about the fact that I probably wouldn't get another MDK phone. Sure enough, I get an MK2 and return to having tons of bloatware and no KitKat.

Sadly, I prefer using my old phone with a broken screen over my new one. I haven't sent the broken one back yet. Do I have any options here? I've considered trying to swap the glass, but it looks like a pain and I'm not sure if they'd have an issue with me sending back the same phone with broken glass. I assume I can't easily swap any of the other hardware either to make the new phone MDK.

Any suggestions?

I also haven't messed with safestrap yet and really dislike 4.3 messaging app and such compared to 4.4, but once we get the OTA 4.4 update from Verizon, will the safestrap rooted 4.4 phone be similar to the custom ROMs I can get now on my MDK phone?

Apologies if these are stupid questions, but any help here would be much appreciated.

Thanks.