Stephen A. Smith isn’t buying the 49ers as NFC contenders — at least not when it comes to making a deep playoff run with the version of San Francisco on the field right now.

On Tuesday’s episode of ESPN’s “First Take,” Smith argued that the 49ers’ injury issues, roster changes and uneven quarterback play make them unlikely to survive a crowded NFC race.

“There are too many good teams in the NFC to think that this version of the San Francisco 49ers could come out of the NFC,” Smith said.

San Francisco improved to 8-4 with a 20-9 win over the Carolina Panthers on Monday, a result that allowed them to remain the NFC’s No. 7 seed but didn’t quiet Smith’s concerns.

A major part of his skepticism centers on Brock Purdy, who is navigating his first full stretch as a starter this season without several of the supporting pieces that previously lifted the offense.

“Brock … he has not been impressive,” Smith stated. “The three interceptions that he threw all were for 20 yards or more, lot of air under the ball, no zip. You know what? You know you don’t see him with a rifle of an arm. So we got to take that into consideration.”

Purdy has eight touchdowns and seven interceptions in his last four starts, a stretch that has included multiple deep-ball turnovers and several throws Smith referenced on Tuesday.

Smith went on to emphasize how the 49ers’ current injury situation compounds those offensive issues. San Francisco is without three major pieces — Nick Bosa, who tore his ACL in September, Fred Warner, who suffered a season-ending broken and dislocated ankle in October, and Brandon Aiyuk, still recovering from a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus sustained last season — leaving the roster far removed from the balanced, physical group that powered past postseason runs.

“The absence of Bosa and Warner. We know about that,” Smith explained. “How about the absence of Brandon Aiyuk as well? He’s no longer there with them …There’s so much reliance that you can put on a Christian McCaffrey and a George Kittle. I know Shanahan can call the game … And they’re a good team. They’re a respectable team, but you’re talking about two cornerstones of their franchise, two elite defensive players that are out.”

Even McCaffrey’s production — including another 142 yards from scrimmage on Monday — didn’t sway him.

“They do seem a bit softer,” Smith noted. “They don’t seem as hardcore as they’ve been in the past, defensively. Christian McCaffrey can only do but so much — that’s an injury waiting to happen … durability is a question mark. The more you have to depend on him, the more trouble that you’re in.”

Smith acknowledged that San Francisco remains competitive within the division but still views the NFC landscape as too deep for a shorthanded 49ers team to overcome. He pointed to the Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks and a loaded NFC North as further evidence that the 49ers aren’t built to outlast the conference’s top tier in a postseason setting.

“I’m just saying I think it’s a little bit too much to ask,” Smith added. “This is not the San Francisco of old. I’m not going with that at all. I do not believe for one second that they can win the NFC conference.”

Whether the 49ers’ fortunes shift as players return from injury remains to be seen. But for now, Smith believes the gap between San Francisco and the NFC’s top tier is widening — not closing.

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