Must be a better way

I can't stop thinking about the new problem I have set myself. They become an obsession but a good one. I am trying to make a raglan pullover with a lower crewneck than I have been able to acheive before.
I'm using short rows that raise the back of the neck ...

which in turn lowers the front of neck. You can see that the whole time I'm working more rows across the back of neck, I have yet to work across the entire front of neck.

I like the resulting lower front of neck.

Can you hear the BUT? It's messy.

I'm sure there is a better way to do this. I may have a couple of middle of the night revelations. I hope so.
Deb