LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Bears fans are invited to attend cornerback Charles Tillman’s third annual Celebrity Gridiron Challenge June 26 at Elmhurst College’s Langhorst Field free of charge.

Tillman and several of his Bears teammates will quarterback their own teams in the flag-football event, which begins at 10 a.m. with the championship game scheduled for 1 p.m.

Charles Tillman will demonstrate his passing skills at his third annual Celebrity Gridiron Challenge.

The Celebrity Gridiron Challenge benefits the Charles Tillman Foundation, whose mission is to improve the lives of critically and chronically ill children throughout Greater Chicago by providing daily support and life-changing experiences.

Those attending the event can win a Wii game system, Bears tickets and other prizes. Free tickets are available at Meijer stores and west suburban Fifth Third Bank locations.

High regard: Due mainly to the acquisition of Jay Cutler, Sports Illustrated’s Peter King has slotted the Bears fourth in his latest NFL power rankings behind the Patriots, Steelers and Giants.

“Cutler’s a big-time player,” King writes, “and I suspect we’ll find out over the next few years if he has nerves of steel and can win the big game.”

King points out that the Bears defense excelled in three key areas last season, ranking second in the NFL in takeaways (32), third in yards per rush (3.4) and eighth in yards per pass play (6.2).

On Tuesday, King wrote that several readers criticized him for ranking the Bears so high, including a Ryan Daniels in Alexandria, Va., who wondered, “Was ranking Chicago fourth related to alcoholism?”

King responded by writing: “Afraid not. Every year I like to pick one team to make an illogical jump because or two teams always do. The Bears are my team this year. I think their defense is good enough and Jay Cutler will be a major difference-maker on offense.”

Monster of the Midway: Agent Drew Rosenhaus recently sent out an interesting prediction via his Twitter account about one of his many clients in Chicago.

“Bears tight end Greg Olsen is going to have a monster season,” Rosenhaus wrote. “The addition of Jay Cutler will lead to him putting up huge numbers in ’09.”

Last season Olsen’s 54 receptions were the most by a Bears tight end since Hall of Famer Mike Ditka had 75 in 1964 and his five touchdown catches enabled him to become the first tight end to lead the Bears in that category since Emery Moorehead also had five in 1982.

In the hall: Former Bears offensive tackle Jim Covert will be inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League Hall of Fame June 19. Covert was a standout lineman and wrestler at Freedom Area High School in Beaver County, north of Pittsburgh.

Former Bears defensive tackle Tyrone Keys, who like Covert was a member of the 1985 Super Bowl XX champions, will be inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame July 31.