You can move the outer to the inner, with the caveat that your chainring may hit the chainstay. This is most likely to happen unless you get a bottom bracket with a longer spindle. As long as you keep using a 3/32” chain for a multiple speed bike (same type of chain you have now) you’ll be fine if the chainline is off a few millimeters here and there. If you keep the 38, you can get a “pants guard” or “bash guard” which can replace the outer ring, just make surebyou get one for 110 BCD and get the proper size according to a few more teeth than the ring you are choosing to run.