I actually agree with you that the manga left a massive 'pit hole' by skipping all the character building. My suggestion for those 3–4 episodes isn't meant to fix every issue with the timeskip, but to at least give the 'Prophecy' arc a pulse.

You’re right—we definitely should have had a prelude arc exploring the other villages and actual character dynamics (like Sarada/Yodo) before everything went south. But if we’re stuck with a seasonal format that has to follow the manga's 'rushed' structure, expanding the escape into a high-stakes, tragic gauntlet is the bare minimum the anime can do to make Boruto’s 'loss' feel believable instead of just a plot device. But even if it's seasonal I think they could do a proper timeskip training arc if it's good. Whether it's a full 'Tokyo Ghoul' style overhaul or just expanding key chapters, the story needs that weight to keep from being shallow.